


(Like Us) Lightning Risked It All

by cm (mumblemutter)



Category: Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Family, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Big Bang, Community: harlequinbbang, Forced Marriage, Jotunheim, Other, Pregnancy, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-24
Updated: 2013-04-24
Packaged: 2017-12-09 07:43:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/771738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mumblemutter/pseuds/cm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"That one," Thor says, her voice ringing clear across the hall. "I choose that one."</i>
</p><p>Or: Thor and Loki get married, have sex, and fall in love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to A. for support, late night beta, putting up with me, and being awesome when I randomly decided that "Thor is a girl and Loki is Jotunn and they get married" should be a fic. 
> 
> Also, many thanks to [Ilthit](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilthit) for the immensely lovely cover. ♥

[](http://archiveofourown.org/works/771350)

*

"They are not made like us," Frigga says. "All of them can bear children."

"Sounds unnatural," Thor says, watching Sif as she strides across the hall. "And disgusting."

"Your father might be a different king if he'd been forced to bear you."

Thor snorts. "As if mere childbirth could change that man."

Frigga sighs, and puts her hand to Thor's scalp. "I miss your lovely hair," she says.

"I like it better this way. No one keeps entreating me to run a comb through it." Sif has disappeared from sight, so Thor turns her attention fully to Frigga. "Are we at war, then?"

"You should ask your father that, dear." But her jaw is tight and there is a strain in her voice.

"Aye," Thor says.

*

They are at war for twenty years. Asgard trembles, but does not fall. It is Jotunheim that does, in the end of the long and bloody struggle. Thor is exhausted: she has no more comrades to lose, no more blood to shed. In the final battle, when they finally breach Jotunheim's defenses, Sif leans over on her horse and beams, her smile tired but beautiful, always beautiful.

"It is almost over," she says.

"Indeed." Thor raises Mjolnir to the sky. "For Asgard," she says.

"For Asgard," Sif echoes, louder, and everyone follows suit.

*

The prince looks like a mere boy, but he could be older, she cannot tell. They are all identically ugly to her. This one has sorcery, but Thor is prepared, and it only takes a moment of his distraction for Thor to wrap the collar around his throat. He screeches, and Thor slams Mjolnir into the side of his head, sends him flying into a pillar.

He, Thor thinks later. But what does she know, other than how to maim them, how to kill them, how to negate their power.

Laufey falls, the casket is secured. Thor returns home with Mjolnir bloodied, but cannot conjure the energy to do more than fall into bed. It will sort itself out in the morning. Or perhaps ten mornings from now.

*

"Your presence is requested by the king, Milady," an attendant says.

Fandral shooes her away. "What she means, Thor, is get your scrumptious behind up and make yourself presentable."

Thor sits up on the bed and wipes at her face wearily. "Now? Must I?"

Fandral is staring at her chest. Thor falls back down onto the bed.

"You are a pig," she says.

"I am a man, and you are naked." His face beams down at her.

"This is not the first time you have seen me without clothes."

"Aye, but mostly covered in blood, not silk. This is most preferable."

"Go away."

"I can't," Fandral says, without much sympathy. He holds out a hand. "Come on, love. We mustn't be late."

*

"Did I not make myself clear?"

"No, I understood the words, they were just nonsense, that's all."

"Thor," Frigga says, but there is a smile deep in her voice.

"Surely you do not think this is a good idea." Thor turns to her. "Tell him."

"Thor," Odin says. "Your mother and I both discussed this. It is the only way to ensure peace between the two realms."

"I thought us defeating them ensured peace," Thor says.

"But for how long? The Jotuns are not our only enemy. Even now others circle, sensing our weakness from this war."

"And you think a treaty with these barbarians will protect us? No. I refuse."

Odin rises from his throne, ignoring Frigga's hand on his arm. "You say you are ready to lead Asgard? Then you should first understand that sacrifice is the biggest part of it."

"Then perhaps I do not want to be Queen after all," Thor says. She does not mean it: she has fought so hard, after all. Harder than most. Harder than anyone. Her chest constricts. "Do not make me do this."

"It is your choice," Odin says, and sits back down. "If I had a son, I would put this burden upon him. But I do not."

Thor tightens her grip on Mjolnir. It hums, hot with power. "Aye," she says. "If only you'd had a son."

*

After she has destroyed a table, five chairs and three unfortunate flower vases, Thor manages to calm down enough to sit, curling her knees up to her chest and hugging them.

A body sits itself down next to her. "Nothing could be so dire that you would destroy the Queen's prized lilies, surely." She rests her head against Thor's shoulder, and Thor twines their fingers together.

"It is worse," she says.

"So I've heard."

"Have the rumors already spread then?" Her shame is now entirely complete.

"Frigga says Laufey has three children. You will be allowed to choose which one."

"It's as if I am asked to choose which of my goats I wish to copulate with. I would rather, in fact. They smell better."

Sif laughs, but when she raises her head she is not smiling, "It will be all right," she says.

"You cannot promise that," Thor says, and she looks away.

*

Thor refuses to wear a dress, puts on her armor and hooks Mjolnir from her waist. Frigga does not say anything, but she winds her arm through Thor's and says, soft, in her ears, "You must be gracious, dear."

"Why?"

"Because you may not see it that way, but we are the victors. You must always be gracious in victory."

Thor tightens her lips. "I am being given away as a prize, how is that victory?"

"This is how we have always carved out treaties," Frigga says, as if Thor does not already know this. "Choose a spoil, marry him, then be done with it." Her palm comes up to Thor's cheek. "I know you will make me proud."

*

There are three of them. Three sons or three daughters, three ugly beasts that she will be expected to breed with, at some point, despite what Mother says. But even Thor can tell they are displeased as he is over this arrangement. She is prepared to choose the biggest, presumably the strongest.

Almost wishes she could challenge them to a duel to see which one is worthy of seeding her womb: in the heat of battle, sometimes only that they are a match for her matters. Sif smiles at her, and Thor shakes her head.

The boy. Thor had forgotten him: as she casts her gaze over the three of them their eyes meet, and he lifts his chin up, sneers at her. The collar around his neck is gone, and when Thor touches her hand to her throat his eyes narrow spitefully, glare deepening.

"That one," Thor says, her voice ringing clear across the hall. "I choose that one."

*

"I will not wear the robes," Thor says. The attendants throw their hands up in despair. Thor laughs at them, until Mother comes into her chambers and starts in on her. "You said yourself that they have no gender. Or two genders. Or - I forget what you said. Let the boy wear the robes. I will wear my ceremonial armor. It's what father married you in."

Mother sighs, but nods her heads at the attendants. "At least let them oil you."

Thor agrees to the oil, and tolerates their fingers on her skin, her scalp.

"I would have thought," Mother says, "That you might have chosen Helblindi. He is the oldest, and they say the fiercest warrior of them all."

"He cannot be that fierce," Thor says, batting away an attempt to put a crown of flowers on her head. "If I have never heard of his prowess."

Mother sighs, yet again. "Perhaps I should not have let your father raise you as a son. You might have some manners."

"I have manners. Just little patience."

"Loki's young."

"Loki?"

"Did you not even bother to learn their names? Your groom. I will see how he feels about the robes. Someone must wear it, or the marriage is not bound by law." She says this with a long suffering glare at Thor, who merely shrugs.

Loki. What a ridiculous name. It strikes her: "How young?"

"Old enough for marriage," Mother says airily, which is not an answer at all. But she is already leaving, swirling around and marching off with purpose.

The prince - princess? Loki. Agrees to wear the robes, or is given no choice. It is no doubt of a finer material than he has touched in his entire life, and yet when he stands in front of Thor it is with haughty disdain, and he fingers the folds of the dress as if they displease him.

"Not good enough for you, Loki?" Thor says.

"Fit for my servants, but I can hardly expect more from your kind."

Thor blinks. She's only ever heard him screech.

Loki turns his head; Mjolnir seems to not have affected any lasting damage to his skull at all, the protruding bones look even, and hard as granite. There is a darker band of blue though, across the base of his throat.

"You are the youngest prince, yes?"

"Oh do spare me your pitiful attempts at conversation. Let us just get this over with before I reconsider my decision not to kill myself."

Thor opens her mouth. Shuts it. "You are very rude."

"And you are hideous. We are none of us perfect."

Ceremonial horns ring out, sparing Thor an attempt at a proper rebuttal. They both turn to the stairs, Thor falling to a knee when Odin appears. After a few moments, and a glare from Farbauti, Thor notes, Loki does as well. "How long is this expected to last," he says, his voice low.

"Far, far too long," Thor says. She offers Loki a commiserating smile, and is rewarded with a scowl, and a pointed aversion of his gaze.

Child. He is a child. Did she just agree to marry a child? Surely not.

Her clothes feel tacky with sweat under the armor, the heat overwhelming. She bows her head even further, prays to the Elder Gods for it to be over soon.

Her prayers are, predictably, not answered.

*

"And so you shall both be wed, and our realms be bound together in blood and promise, forever."

"Forever," Thor repeats, blinking.

Loki blinks as well, and if Thor has fared badly during these interminable hours, Loki seems to have fared worse. The blue in his face has lightened, his red eyes dimmed. He is still capable of glaring at Thor with malevolence though. Thor stares at him, and swallows. She forgets what comes next. Fingers grip her elbow. Mother. Ah, that then.

Thor leans down, and Loki's eyes widen. But he does not pull away, instead tilts his chin up so their lips can meet. It is all teeth, submerged violence.

Thor breaks the kiss, staggers back with her hand to her mouth. Loki smirks, and Thor wishes for Mjolnir, wishes for, yet again, the satisfying thunk of Loki's body hitting stone. She barely notices the cheer that breaks out in the hall until Mother takes her elbow, leads her away.

*

"To family," Odin says, standing up at the head of the table to toast. Thor ignores him, stares instead at whatever it is on Loki's plate. "You eat that," she asks dubiously.

Loki casts a dismissive glance at Thor's own plate. "You are in no position to judge."

"This is the finest food across the realms."

"Why do you not have hair," Loki asks.

"What?"

"Everyone around this table has hair growing out of their heads. It's horrendous, but I assume it serves some sort of purpose. You only have this fuzz. Are you diseased?"

"I am not -" Thor clamps her mouth shut, breathes until she can speak again. "It is a choice."

"Unwise choice," Loki says. He picks up a raw piece of meat and bites delicately into it. "You are uglier than even your plainest of servants."

"I have had quite enough of you," Thor says, keeping her voice mild. Loki goes very still. "You will not speak to me with such disrespect again."

"I will speak to you," Loki says, "however I wish." But his hands shake when he reaches for his wine, and Thor has to put her hand out, stop it from spilling.

*

Thor drinks enough mead throughout the entire miserable evening that even Sif puts a hand over her cup eventually, leads her to a quiet corner of the banquet hall. Thor watches Loki for a while, flitting uncomfortably around the room, surrounded by his brothers. They are far taller than him: why had she not truly taken notice before. "They say he's just a runt."

"They who," Thor replies sourly. The mead has turned to piss in her mouth and her belly burns.

"They. You forget Odin sent a delegation over to negotiate the treaty. None of them can keep their traps shut. Loki," she continues. "Is the runt of the three. Not expected to amount to much, before you chose to marry him."

"Great, so I am married to the weakest of the princes. And I had thought my shame was complete."

Sif's hand lands on her shoulder. "Why did you choose him, anyway. He does not seem your type."

"No," Thor says, and turns her head so their faces are close. "You are my type."

"Me, and every other warrior in the land."

Her smile is soft though, and she does not stop Thor when she leans in close, presses her forehead to her cheek. "We should be together."

"The mead has addled you. Do you not recall the numerous fights we had? Odin complaining because the farmers were upset that it was always raining and their crops would drown?"

"Aye," Thor says, and breathes in her scent until she is pushed gently away. "I recall other things as well."

"Enough," Sif says, and laughs lightly before another push sends Thor out into the light. "Behave yourself."

Loki is staring at her, eyes dark-red and expression blank. Thor flushes and glances away.

*

She puts it off for as long as she can, but eventually there is no more time that she can waste. Frigga takes her hand, squeezes it gently. "Do not be nervous," she says.

"I am not nervous."

"I was nervous, my wedding night."

"Were you a virgin?"

"No, but your father and I were strangers as well."

"I bet you were a beautiful bride. As you are now."

"So are you," Frigga says, her hand coming up to cup the back of Thor's head. "I do wish I could have forced you into a dress once in a while beyond your sixth year, but you were always impossibly stubborn."

"And yet here I am," Thor says. "Married without a choice."

"You had a choice," Frigga says, and her voice steels. "This is the one you made. At least you get to stay home, surrounded by those that love you. Most brides are not given that option."

"Lie back and think of Asgard, Mother?"

"Think of our future, Thor."

"Aye." Thor kisses her on the cheek. "Always."

*

Loki is already waiting in her chambers when she returns to it, furiously wiping at his skin with a cloth. "I tried to tell those girls of yours I do not require oil, but they are all apparently deaf."

"Not deaf. Just determined." She turns away and slowly strips off her armor, until she is clad in nothing but her shirt and breeches. When she turns back around Loki is standing. He has untied the sash around his waist and let it fall to the floor, leaving him naked save for thin strips of brown leather around his wrists.

Thor has never bedded a Jotun before. There was Agni, and Sif, and a few others, quickly forgotten trysts borne of boredom and lust.

She allows her gaze to travel downwards, from the cut of his shoulderblades to the narrowness of his waist to what must be his cock, nestled in between his legs. Thor rejected all attempts to get her to learn Jotun physiology; she regrets it now. Does it grow? How do they bear children, where does the seed go? Jotun and Aesir have bred before, surely they cannot be that different.

Loki is staring rigidly ahead. "Are you done staring," he says, harsh.

Thor fights the blush across her face. There are patches of blue darkening on his skin, the patterns carved into it standing out with even starker relief. "Are you cold?"

"I am a Jotun," he replies, in a manner that indicates he thinks of her as dumber than a slugworm.

"We should sleep," Thor says. She moves to the other side of the bed and slides in under the covers. Loki does not move for the longest time, but finally he turns around and gingerly sits down on the bed. There is a tension across his shoulders that Thor does not understand.

"Are you not -" but he shakes his head instead, and lies down, turning his back to Thor so she can see each individual knob of his thin spine, each intricate swirl across his skin.

*

"He is not a boy," Sif says, as she parries Thor's thrust.

"I am certain I do not know what you mean."

"Please," Sif replies. Thor kicks out at her and she falls, only to drag Thor down with a swift swipe of her leg. "You are as subtle as Volstagg when dessert is served. He isn't a child, just a runt. I have been telling you."

"Well he certainly behaves like one," Thor says.

Sif flips her over onto her back, and presses a knee to her chest. "I believe that particular affliction is called being born of royal blood."

Thor beams up at her, before throwing her off and pinning her to the ground. "It doesn't matter. He still remains a brat. I will have nothing to do with him if I can help it."

The warriors three surround them when they are done, both on their backs and heaving. "So how was the wedding night," Fandral asks. "I heard they have cocks the size of a forearm, and that they come with ridges sharp enough to cut. Is that true?"

"If it were true she would not be able to walk today, Fandral," Volstagg replies.

"Do you three feel inadequate or is it jealousy I hear in your voices," Sif says.

"I did not say a word." Hogun extends a hand to each of them.

On her feet again, Thor grins. "As if I would let some Jotun's cock keep me from challenging all of you." She cracks her knuckles together. "Who's next?"

In the healing room afterwards, Thor drowsy as steam floats around her and efficient hands knead her aching muscles, Sif asks, with some hesitance in her voice, "Did the two of you not?"

"No," Thor says.

"Thor, you know the marriage is not valid unless it is -"

"I know," Thor cuts in miserably. "I know. Don't tell anyone, please."

"Of course I won't. But Thor."

"I know."

Even the mere thought of his cock inside of her, his hips between her knees. Thor rubs the blush from her face, wills the image away.

*

Loki is rummaging around in her closet, muttering to himself. "They have not brought enough of my clothes," he says.

"Oh do you wear them?" Thor asks. "I was given to believe you only wore loincloths like savages."

"You really are an imbecile, are you not?" He purrs with some satisfaction and drags a long, flowing robe out. "We only wear these for visiting barbarians," he says. "I suppose I will have to get used to them."

"Loincloth," Thor suggests mildly, and it earns her a dirty look. "I am told our presence is expected at lunch."

"Is it," Loki says, his expression mirroring Thor's feelings.

"Aye," Thor replies. "Might as well get it over with, then."

*

Thor kisses Mother on the cheek, ignores Father. Loki smiles and greets them both with such polite mannerisms Thor almost raises an eyebrow in surprise at him. So her groom is only ill-behaved towards his bride, then. Comforting to know.

"I admit I'm surprised you managed to procure such fresh plaice," Loki says at one point, as Thor watches him eat his disgusting raw food. "These are hard to come by, especially during these end months."

"Our chefs on Asgard are unparalleled," Mother says. "I have no idea how they do it, honestly. But do enjoy."

Thor loses her appetite. There is a Jotun among them, having lunch and conversing with his parents as if they were equals. There is a Jotun among them, bound to her by marriage. The room spins, quite suddenly.

"Thor, are you well?" Mother rises to her feet, but it is another hand that grips Thor by the arm and hauls her to her feet. Cold, surprisingly strong grip.

"Come along," Loki says. "I will take you back to your chambers." She tolerates his touch until they reach the privacy of her rooms, before she shoves him away and heaves herself onto the sheets. "What is wrong with you? Are you mad?"

"I have been forced into marriage with you, that is what's wrong with me." There is no response, long enough that Thor manages to drag herself out of the throes of self pity to crack open an eye.

Loki is still, staring blankly at her. "I have been taken away from my family," he says. "Brought to this forsaken land, forced to marry a brute that flirts with someone else on her wedding night, left without my books, my friends, everything that I have ever known. And you are the one sulking on your bed?"

Thor sits up indignantly. "It is not like that. It is humiliat-"

"Humiliating? You chose me, remember? You should have chosen Helblindi. It was expected. All you had to do was choose the right mate."

"Is this not a boon for you? You are married to the heir of Asgard. You will be king of Jotunheim when I ascend."

Loki puts his hands together, claps a slow clap. "Ah, so now I get to be your whore while Odin rules us all. That was always my ambition, if you must know."

"That is not what I meant."

"I know exactly what you meant, Aesir."

Not a child, then. Thor cannot imagine why she had been so convinced. Or perhaps it was what she was meant to believe, in order that she would choose the right mate. A warrior's mate.

But she had chosen him instead. She still does not know why.

Loki says, "I would leave you to your tantrum, but I have no place to go."

"I," Thor begins, her throat tight. "We have gardens. A library. You may explore, if you wish."

Loki merely shakes his head, and it is Thor who leaves in the end.

*

She saddles her steed and rides out of Asgard, does not return for a month.


	2. Two.

She expects to see Loki when she enters her chambers, the pelts of slain beasts heavy over her shoulders, but he is gone. Thor searches for him, finds him on an observatory balcony, staring out into the distance. There is a guard nearby. Thor dismisses him, says, "It is beautiful, is it not?"

Loki merely says, "Do you know what is beautiful, Asgardian? Jotunheim at dawn, when the sunlight hits the snow just so, and the entire world shines as if it is on fire. That is beauty. This, this is merely glitter, a city made by vain creatures carving out their own image in a desperate hope that they will not be forgotten."

"Do not speak of Asgard in this manner."

Loki turns, finally. "You have been gone for over a month. I had hoped you would perish and I would be left a widow - I do look splendid in red, but alas, my wishes have yet again gone unheard."

"Do not speak to me in this manner."

"You have said that before. Do you plan to punish me for disobedience?" He bares his teeth.

"I will do worse if you do not watch your tongue," Thor says, and brandishes Mjolnir. The hunt does not seem to have worked: she is still furious, still bubbling with rage. Thunder roars through her years as Loki rears back, a dark purple cloud forming in his hand.

Someone politely clears their throat.

They both turn to see a servant with a tray in his hands, holding two cups of wine. "The Queen wishes to welcome you back to Asgard."

Thor marches forward to snatch the glass from him, Loki following suit but much slower. He peers at it long after Thor has downed hers in almost one gulp. "You are supposed to savor it, not - nevermind. I hope the battle was worth it."

"It was," Thor says. "I need a bath." She tosses the cup aside before she stomps off, does not bother to turn to see how Loki reacts.

*

"So you were," Loki's lip curls up. "Hunting." They are back in Thor's chambers. Thor dumps fur onto the bed, and Loki tilts his head. "This is what you spent all month chasing after? Time well spent, I'd say."

"Are the Jotuns above hunting?"

"Oh we hunt, but not -" He waves his hand idly. "The beasts of Jotunheim are beyond compare."

"I have heard," Thor starts, but stops because Loki only makes a pained expression.

"We could visit," she offers hopefully.

"Why, so you can parade my shame in front of my family?" He presses his lips together and glares at Thor once again. "I would rather die here than return as your mate, so everyone can ask me how I enjoy being mounted by the Aesir dog ."

Thor finds her mouth dropping open. She shuts it, slowly. "I do not understand," she says.

Loki stomps his foot. "Of course you don't," he says. "You're an idiot."

*

Thor is sparring with Sif when Loki wanders into the hall. The temperature in the place, quite possibly, drops to freezing. A low murmur rises as he takes a seat, and even Sif stops to stare. Thor pokes at her with her wooden sword. "It's rude to stare," she says.

"I keep thinking of him as bigger, but he really is a runt, is he not?"

"An annoyance, is what he is," Thor mutters.

Sif raises a delicate brow. "Are you not getting along?"

"You might as well ask me how my relationship fares with my goats."

"You seem obsessed with those creatures, Thor. Is there something you are not telling me?" Thor glares at her as she smiles up at Loki who, surprisingly, smiles back. "They are not as bad as you think," Sif says. "I have heard from the delegations sent to Jotunheim."

"Have you," Thor asks, narrowing her eyes. "From the lovely Kelda, I presume."

Sif's beam is far too brilliant, but in lieu of answering she calls out to a duel.

To Loki.

"What are you doing," Thor says. She tugs on her arm, but Sif ignores her to watch Loki stand and make his way down to the ring.

Sif appraises him, says, "My prince, do you spar?"

"A little."

"He knows sorcery," Thor says. "Tricks."

Loki's gaze flicks over to Thor. "You sound as if sorcery is beneath you, and yet what are those collars made of again that subdue the forces of the seidr?"

"Necessary," Thor replies.

"For the likes of you."

Sif clears her throat, and pushes her sword at Loki. "Perhaps a rematch might be in order."

Thor is not prepared for how quick Loki is.

Most Jotuns fight with brute strength and little finesse, preferring to merely pound their smaller opponents into the ground. Thor understands that.

With Loki, Thor finds herself on the receiving end of a blow she has to defend more than once, as Loki lunges spitefully at her, his face pinched with irritation.

"Your rage makes you careless," Thor says, as they circle one another.

"If I need advice from you, cheat, I will."

"I do not cheat," Thor says, and darts forward. To her utter surprise she ends up on her back, Loki straddling her hips and his hand around her throat.

"Your rage makes you careless, cheat."

Thor roars and grabs his wrist, flips them over so their positions are swiftly reversed. Loki struggles so Thor grabs his other wrist, which earns her bared, snapping teeth. "You are barely civilized," Thor says.

"I will show you civilized." He breaks one wrist free and yanks down on the back of Thor's neck, rolling them over to pin Thor against the ground.

The lower part of his body is still trapped between Thor's legs. Thor hitches in a breath, and Loki's eyes narrow.

Thor can feel - oh. With a howl, she throws Loki off her. He lands in a crouch as Thor scrambles to her feet, picking up her sword as she does so. "Villain," she hisses. "Barbarian." She launches herself forward. Too late, she realizes what Loki has done to her: her fingers are cold with frostbite, and there is no strength in her attack.

Loki laughs and rises to his feet, slams his elbow into her face. Thor falls to one knee, and then to the floor, and as the blood gushes from her nose she calls Mjolnir, who comes as promised, too fast for Loki to avoid.

Loki goes down with a sharp yelp, clutching at his shoulder.

Booted feet appear in Thor's line of sight.

"That did not go as expected," Sif says. "You have both caused quite a scene."

"It was his fault," Thor says.

Loki laughs, sounding both exhausted and anguished. "I felt a bone snap," he says.

"To the healing rooms with you both," Sif says, holding out her hand. Thor ignores it, pushes herself up on her elbow to rise to her feet. She cannot help but notice though that Loki accepts the gesture, allowing Sif to pull him up. She clucks sympathetically at him as he grimaces.

"The hammer seems an unfair advantage," Loki says.

Thor picks up Mjolnir, glares. "You should talk."

*

In the healing room, Loki fusses until he is somehow convinced of the healers' abilities, allowing himself to be led to a bench. Thor's nose is poked at, but the more serious damage is to her wrists. "It is as if you have been frost bitten," one of the healers marvels. Thor glares balefully at Loki, who smirks.

The healers avoid Loki's gaze as they attempt to heal his shoulder, their nervousness almost palpable. It only seems to make Loki even more unpleasant, scowling at them and somehow making his red eyes glow. Useful skill, if unnatural. "The bone is dislocated," one of the healers says.

"Of course it is dislocated," Loki replies. "Snap it back into place, then."

He takes the pain well enough, with only a soft grunt as the healers push against his shoulder.

Thor grits her teeth as a stinging salve is applied to her wounds. How unfair, that she should be married to the person she is convinced she hates more than anyone in the nine realms. "Ahhh," she says, as the sting turns to burning pain.

*

"It is because you disappeared for over a month," Sif says, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of fruit. "You left the poor boy all alone the day after your wedding, Thor."

"So you became friends with him?"

"We are hardly friends. He is still a Frost Giant. But your mother said he was mostly confined to his quarters and there is a guard following him everywhere he is allowed to venture."

"It is for his own protection," Thor says. "The Frost Giants have claimed many the life of a loved one."

"And they would dare against your consort?"

"I -"

"Thor." She pauses. They were the only two female warriors born into nobility: Thor had no choice in the matter, even if she had been born inclined to be otherwise. But Sif. Beautiful, brave Sif. Thor watches the graceful line of her throat as she swallows, says, "You have to spend more time with him. It will make it easier."

"I will consider it," Thor says, "once my wrists have fully healed."

*

Father decides it would be prudent to lecture her on her behavior. "You cannot just run off to hunt whenever you are upset. This is not how the heir to the Odin-Throne behaves."

"Perhaps I do not want to be Queen after all."

"Keep saying that," Odin says, "And I will start to believe you mean it."

Thor glares, merely asks, "So what would you have me do?"

"You do not have to spend much time with your new husband, but at least spend enough that there is some pretense you are making an attempt at - marriage." Odin sounds as if he is talking about the weather. Oh, it was raining today, how horrendous, and by the way do remember to spread your legs for your Frost Giant husband, be a dear.

"Is that what you want me to do? Breed? Who will defend the realm then when I am heavy with child?"

"The realm protected itself well enough before you were born, I am certain it will do so while you perform the duties that are necessary to ensure the future of the Odin line."

"You cannot tell me you truly want little Frost Giant half-breeds with your blood running through their veins? Especially with that runt. He is barely even a proper Jotun."

"He was your choice."

"I know that but -"

"Enough." Odin holds out his hand, and Thor simmers down, bites the inside of her mouth hard enough that she can taste blood. "Go, before I lose my temper. I have always indulged your whims, and that is my weakness. But I cannot do so anymore."

*

Loki is on the observatory deck, yet again. "Why do you like it here so much," Thor asks, as she comes up behind him. There is another guard standing at duty. This one Thor does not dismiss.

"It is the only place I'm allowed where I am not continuously gawked at. The air is also cooler here." He tilts his head back and closes his eyes. "Have you come here to break another one of my bones?"

"That's -" Thor swallows. She does not feel guilty. She does not. "You broke my nose," she says instead. "And my wrists still hurt from whatever witchcraft you inflicted upon them."

"Witchcraft? Control of my body temperature is hardly -" He sighs, and for a moment a smile flickers across his face. "What do you want, then? Go on."

"I -" Thor begins. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

"With you?"

"Who else, then?"

"Do I have the option of saying no?"

Thor finds her face turning red, yet again.

Loki turns, smiles nastily.

"You are trying to enrage me. It will not work."

"If I were, Asgardian, you would know it. You are hardly much of a challenge."

"Fine," Thor says. "Stay here. I do not care."

*

"He is most unpleasant," Thor complains to Sif later. "I do not understand why I have to be saddled with him."

"You talk as if you are the only princess whose marriage has been arranged, Thor. Surely you were expecting this to happen at some point."

"But not with him." She finds her gaze softening, and reaches out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Sif's ear. "I had hoped -"

Sif slaps her lightly on the hand. "See, you can be charming when you choose to be. Perhaps if you flirted a little, tried a little flattery."

"Should I simper, and bat my eyelashes at him?" Thor holds the back of her hand to her forehead, "Oh, noble Prince of Jotunheim, I beg of you to take me -"

"You only have to ask the once, my dear," Fandral swings his arm around Thor's shoulder. "What are we discussing?"

"None of your concern," Sif says.

"Very rude," Fandral says, wagging a finger at her.

"Ugh," Thor says, shoving him away. "I have had enough of this hand-wringing."

If Father requires the marriage to be consummated, Thor will consummate it.

But first, she will get thoroughly drunk.

*

Things do not go as planned: Loki takes one look at her as she stumbles back into their chambers, makes a disgusted face, and barricades himself out on the balcony.

Thor considers breaking down the balcony door, but her plan kind of stops there. What is she to do? Throw him over her shoulder and force him to stick his cock inside her? What if he shows no interest and thus cannot perform? How utterly humiliating if so.

Instead she takes the most logical course of action: she crawls into bed and passes out.

*

"This was not my choice. If there had been any other way," Odin says. She has wandered into the throne room to find him looking out over the balcony. "I would rather see a truce than watch my daughter's soul go weary with war. To watch our people suffer."

"Was that not my decision?"

"It was mine. That is why I am the All-Father. This is my burden to carry."

Thor turns to leave. "I understand sacrifice. I would have found another way."

"Some day," Odin says. "I hope you will."

*

"You look lovely tonight," Thor says, trying for a beguiling smile. Loki merely graces her with a disdainful sniff before sweeping away, only pausing at the entrance of the banquet hall so they can link arms and make a proper entrance.

Thor has not had many occasions to be the pursuer, or for that matter, nor has she been pursued that often. Menfolk never required much encouragement, and most of the women were warriors like she was, and not interested in being romanced. Loki is - Thor does not know what Loki is. Frustrating. Annoying. Spiteful and childish and rude and disrespectful. Thor leans close, says, "Do you not find me attractive?"

"What -" Loki's eyes widen, but the doors open before he can respond properly.

Thor raises Mjolnir, waves proudly. "Smile," she says, trying to keep her voice low. "Wave. It is expected."

Loki does as instructed, but his eyes remain wide. He clutches at Thor's arm with his other hand, says, "They are all staring at me."

"No, it is me they are staring at," Thor pauses. "There were more people at our wedding."

Loki only shakes his head, and tightens his lips.

*

He only replies to Thor's question afterwards, as they are forced to dance. "There is nothing about you I find attractive," he says. "But I understand my duties, as much as I loathe to do so. You may take me if you want."

Thor stops dancing. "Do you think I want you, monster? I have been forced into this marriage as much as you have."

"Says the one who has taken me as spoils. You may have my compliance, but I will not submit to you, I will not -"

"Is everything fine?" They both stop to stare at Volstagg's voluminous form. "You are newlyweds, eh? There are always teething problems. Why, when Hildegund and I first got married, ah." He trails off as Thor crosses her arms. "Eh, we had to decide who would interrupt you before this escalated. I lost," Volstagg says unhappily. "You mother requests that you do not cause a scene. I will leave now."

"Oh, do stay," Loki says. "I will be the one to leave. I am done with this charade."

He stalks off, and Thor follows, ignoring Volstagg's half-hearted protestations.

In their chambers, Loki rounds on her. "Go away," he snarls. "Or do you wish to mount me now, you beast."

"Are you crazy? How am I supposed to mount you? With Mjolnir? You are an impossible boy!"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Thor has had enough. She tries to shove past Loki but he grabs her arm and she takes his wrist and slams him up against the wall.

Loki is just staring as if transfixed, at her lips. "Release me," he says, and there is rage in his voice, and something else.

Thor kisses him. With little finesse, and mostly teeth, and she regrets it almost immediately, pulling away roughly to apologize. "Sorry," she says. "I do not know -"

She is caught unawares, and again their teeth clash, but it softens soon enough, and she finds herself swaying on her feet, clutching at his robes with her fingers. Loki shoves her back and spins her to the wall, presses her up against it as he scrambles for her breeches, hissing slightly. His fingers slide past her cunt and he pauses, and even through the haze Thor can see his confusion. "What," she asks.

"Where is your cock?"

"What," Thor asks, dizzy. "I am not like you. I do not have one."

"I know that you only have the one, but I assumed - you do not act at all like your queen." He sounds frustrated, and yet.

"There is more than one way for a female to act."

"Well, pardon me. It is not as if I have been here long enough to understand your kind."

Thor does not have an adequate response to that. "Do you not want - would you rather I had a cock?"

Loki shakes his head rapidly, surges forward yet again.

He takes her like this, slides his cock up into her as she pushes herself down onto it, her fingers kneading into his shoulders. His cock - Thor cannot see it properly in the shadows, but it fits well enough, and it, "Oh," she says, as he convulses slightly, and lowers them both to the floor. Thor raises herself up onto her elbows as Loki pulls away, tightens back the sash on his robes. Was that it? There is cool wetness on her thighs, so it must be. She smiles tentatively at him, but his face is flushed dark, and he cannot meet her gaze.

"So is this how the Jotun fuck?"

"What do you mean?" There is a defensiveness creeping across him.

"Surely this is not your first time, Frost Giant."

Loki's blush deepens, and he rises to his feet, muttering underneath his breath.

"It was!" She scrambles up and follows him as he marches steadfastly away. "They told me you were not a child, they said!"

Loki halts and turns, and Thor almost bumps into him. They end up barely a nose apart, so she can feel the full force of his malevolent glare. "I am no more a child than you are, Thor of Asgard. Which isn't saying much, Laufey said you are barely an adult, and if your behavior is anything to go by you are far more immature than I am."

"I am of age!" Not by a lot, true, but she has to be older than him.

"Well it does not matter, does it," Loki says abruptly. "The deed is done. We can go our separate ways until they start pressing us for children, which hopefully will be a long way from now."

"Fine by me," Thor says. "If this is how you Jotuns fuck then I would be better off seeking out the company of my goats."

"Do they have cocks? If they do, send one my way because you are obviously not going to satisfy those needs."

Thor reels back. "I hate you," she says, and turns to run out of the chambers, face flushing hot with fury.

She sleeps in Sif's room that night, as Sif rubs her back and coos nonsense words softly in her ear. "He's right though," Thor sniffs at one point. "At least the deed is done."

"Go to sleep, Thor," Sif says, and continues to rub Thor's back until she does.

*

They are forced to dine together over breakfast, and neither of them can bear to look at one another. Loki even forgoes his customary jibe at Thor's table manners, and Thor cannot bring herself to care that he is eating what looks like a barely dead bird.

Frigga sighs, and says conversationally, "In my day, when a young married couple did not get along, what we did was lock them in their chambers until they had worked out their differences."

"What?" Thor jerks her head up. "You cannot possibly -"

"- sort of barbaric custom is this."

"I will not spend all day cooped up with -"

"- unacceptable."

"Enough." Odin's voice is calm, barely above a whisper, but they both immediately shut their mouths. Thor glares at Loki. Loki glares back. "I do believe, my dear wife," Odin says, smiling warmly at Frigga, "that I would be lost without you. So be it, then."

"This is your fault," Loki mutters, as they are led to their chambers.

Thor does not dignify his words with a response.


	3. Three.

They avoid each other for three days. 

They have stilted, short conversations for three days after that.

The seventh day, they argue over what temperature their chambers should be set at.

The eighth day, Thor throws a vase at Loki's head over a passing comment made about her hygiene practices.

The ninth, an argument turns into fisticuffs turns into Thor writhing underneath Loki as he wrestles her to the floor. Thor does not want to give Mother the satisfaction of winning. She refuses to get along with him, refuses to pretend this marriage is more than just a farce. But she can feel his cock against her thigh, and it - she moans, as he presses down further onto her.

Loki's eyes darken. He darts forward and kisses her, and Thor, she can't help it. She kisses him back. They kiss and they kiss and end up on the bed, finally, struggling to undress one another. Mostly struggling to undress Thor, Loki's robes are easily discarded of. "What are these clothes, I do not understand." He tugs on a flap of leather. "This serves no purpose whatsoever."

Loki seems to have lost some momentum once they're both naked, staring at Thor as if he does not know what to do next. Thor reaches out tentatively and touches his cock. It looks similar enough to an Aesir one, save for the color, and when she runs her fingers along its length she discovers what she thought were just white markings like the ones on his body are in fact raised ridges, slightly rough to the touch.

"It is not a dog, Asgardian," Loki says. "There is no need to pet it as such."

"At least I have touched cock before that's not my own."

"Obviously not a Frost Giant's."

"You are hardly a giant," Thor replies. She ignores Loki's offended huff to slide her fingers down to the base of his cock, where the ridges are even more pronounced.

"What are you doing," Loki says. He does not seem impressed. Thor scowls. This usually works. But then Loki is correct: she has never touched a Jotun's cock before. Clearly they are affected in some manner that she has not discovered yet.

Thor is not accustomed to failure. Loki will learn this soon enough. She lowers her head, and envelopes the head of his cock with her mouth.

Loki yelps, and falls off the bed. He rises up in an indignant growl and launches himself at her, pins her down yet again.

She allows it, because. Because.

His hand dips between her legs, fingers slipping briefly inside her cunt before he pulls them away. "You are wet," he says, with some amazement.

Thor starts. "Of course I am wet - should I not be wet?" Is it that he prefers she not want him?

"Our cunts do not get wet."

"Then how do you -" But her hands are damp, and for the brief moment her mouth was around his cock there had been some sort of - she licks her lips, tastes residual stickiness. "Let me touch your cock again," she demands.

Loki makes yet another face. "Must you be so crass. You are worse than one of our work dogs in heat." A moment later, he has thrust himself inside of her, and Thor gasps at the sudden, wet glide of his cock filling her up, but she has no time to adjust before he pulls out and then slams back into her.

Again, and again, and Thor says, "This is not a race, Jotun," but Loki isn't listening, his eyes are screwed shut and his breath is coming in short, intermittent gasps. Thor turns her head, for despite Loki's behavior it is still not remotely like anything she has ever experienced before. It must be those ridges, she thinks dizzyingly, as the rising pleasure forces a moan out of her mouth.

She lifts her hips up to meet him, but at that Loki gives a low groan, and pulses inside her, and oh, she can feel that as well. It is not enough, and when Loki collapses down next to her she works her hand between her legs, rubbing until she comes as well, in a sweet, sharp burst.

Thor turns her head, and Loki is staring at her, his eyes wide. "What?"

"Nothing," Loki mutters, and makes yet another unpleasant face, before he shimmies off the bed and grabs his robe, wraps it primly around himself. He stares at the floor and says stiffly, "I will take a bath now."

"If you must," Thor says, and stretches lazily as he flees, the edges of the robe flying behind him. Thor hears the door slam shut behind him, and sighs. Is she that hideous? He has the appearance of a monster, surely she should be the one complaining, the one rigid and frozen underneath him.

It must be a Jotun thing, she decides.

*

They try again, but after a full ten minutes of Thor attempting to touch him and Loki fending her off as if he were a frightened virgin on their wedding night, Thor has had enough. "If you are merely going to pound into me as if I were a dog, I would rather not."

Loki looks surprised, "Are you already with child?"

"Do not be silly of course I am not with child, I have no intention of breeding with you." Not until she is forced into it.

"Then why would you let me mount you?" He seems genuinely confused. And irritated.

"Because I am bored and we have been stuck in this room for days. What else would you have us do?" Thor does not understand any of this: he is a man, of a sorts. They are all, to a fault, in a rush to stick it into something or another, with breeding just about the furthest thought on their minds.

Loki makes a strangled noise. "And you wish us to fuck for - pleasure?"

"You are hardly my first choice, but there is no one else around, is there? Ugh, forget it. Do not touch me again."

And now she is the one to barricade herself in the bathroom. She sits against the door until her heart stops beating too fast, until the rage recedes somewhat. She has been ribbed, more than once, over her promiscuity. It has never bothered her before: it's merely the truth.

When she emerges, Loki is at a table, poring over a book.

He does not glance up, and she ignores him as well.

"Only our animals rut for sheer pleasure," he remarks idly.

"It is no wonder then," Thor says, "that you are always aching for the conquest of war."

*

But he keeps stealing glances at her whenever he thinks she will not notice, coloring when she turns towards him, and looking steadfastly away.

The days go hazy with inaction. Thor's very skin crawls with the need for any kind of a distraction. A hunt, a scouting expedition, even a stroll around the gardens would be welcome.

"How exactly does your mother define getting along," Loki asks. "We have not fought in days. Surely that is progress."

Thor picks up Mjolnir, swings it around and pretends she is slaying Frost Giants. She stops when he narrows his gaze at her. "I do not know," she says, slumping her shoulders in defeat. "Not this, probably."

"Should we try," he clears his throat and turns a deep shade of blue.

Thor sets Mjolnir down, sits on the edge of the bed. "Were you serious, when you said only your animals fucked for pleasure?"

"I have studied some of your books. You do not seem that different from us. Surely this cannot be that revelatory a concept?"

"But you have cocks and cunts," Thor says. "I would use both if I had them." She plucks at the hem of her skirt as Loki looks as if he cannot decide to be horrified or intrigued.

"They are meant for breeding," he says stiffly.

"Have you never even -" she makes a circle with her hand and jerks it up and down. Loki turns even more blue. At this rate he will pass out before they complete this conversation.

"Some of us put our time to better use than just contemplating fucking all the time - no wonder you are so backwards." He turns pointedly back to his books, leaving Thor to stare at his ridged head for the longest time.

*

"Must you really walk around without your clothes on so often," Loki asks.

Thor finishes pulling her shirt off, and throws it at him. He catches it with a scowl and balls it up, tosses it back at her.

"Just because you are a prude -"

"I am not a prude."

"You are a prude."

Loki shoves her. She shoves him back. In an instant, they are both circling one another, searching for a point of attack. It is Thor that stops, declaring, "I have no interest in fighting you, Jotun."

"But I do."

He hits her low in the belly with the top of his head, and she goes down. Thor grunts and manages to wedge a knee underneath his ribs, tossing him off her. Loki goes flying into the wall, but somehow he does not hit it. Instead there is laughter, and she finds herself surrounded by copies of him, all smirking.

Thor slams her fist into the nearest and it passes through, and then is hit in the side of the head by the one to her right. She grabs for a flash of blue at her peripheral vision and hears a satisfying howl as she twists her fingers around his wrist, sends him to the floor. Before he can gather momentum yet again she rolls over and straddles him in one smooth motion, taking his other wrist in her hand and holding them to the sides of his head.

"Unhand me," Loki says, but even he seems to recognize that the struggle is futile, and he settles down almost immediately, his chest heaving slightly.

"What is wrong with you," she almost shouts.

"Let me go," is all he says in reply. His jaw is tight, and when he turns his head to the side she can see the fluttering of his throat as he swallows.

"Only if you promise to behave yourself. I already said I have no wish to fight."

"Fine," he says, and sounds almost desperate. "Let me go."

Thor releases his wrists, and sits back on her heels. Loki makes a distressed sort of noise, and she - ah. Neither of them move, for the longest of moments. Thor does not dare to, until she finds herself tentatively sliding her hand up his chest, where his robe has fallen open. The ridges there are less pronounced than on his cock, but she can still feel them, faintly rough under her fingertips. She traces the intricate lines, wonders if there is some pattern or meaning behind him.

"What are you doing," Loki asks, after far too long a while. He turns his head back towards her, and Thor cannot tell from the expression in his eyes what he is thinking.

"Tell me to stop, then."

Loki merely shakes his head, slight, and turns away again.

"I want you to look at me, Loki. I want to touch you - I want to touch your cock. Would you let me?"

Loki allows her to lead him to the bed, strip him of his clothes. This time when she touches his cock he merely jerks, but does not move away. It hardens even further as she glides her fingers upwards, and it is wet with slick, the texture almost similar to her own. Thor ventures upwards, curling her hand around the base and squeezing lightly, and oh Loki does like that, from the way he arches up into her and curses almost inaudibly.

His eyes widen in alarm though, when she lowers her head. "But you eat with your mouth. It is sacred."

"I can defile it if I choose," Thor says, but waits for him to agree before she ventures further. It is like soothing a skittish animal: no sudden movements, no surprises. Thor has only ever bedded Asgardian men who pretended they knew what they were doing when they did not, and women who mostly truly did.

Thor does not know what she is doing.

Loki nods his head finally, his fingers gripped tight in the sheets.

Thor slides her mouth around the head of his cock and he hisses, and then hisses even further when she slides him deeper in. It's pleasant enough, wet rather than dry and surprisingly hot. She tries a few things, pays attention to his reaction, and when she glances up at him he has his eyes squeezed shut and his mouth open. Thor circles her thumb and forefinger around the base of his cock and presses, and he jerks up into her and spills, hot in her mouth.

"Did you just," Loki says, after a while, sitting up to stare at her.

"Would you rather I spit it out?" She wipes at the wetness on her lips, peers at it.

Loki gathers his robes around him once again, says, "I would rather neither option."

"So you did not enjoy that?"

"That's not what I meant." He exhales impatiently, says, "I suppose if we have nothing better to do while imprisoned."

"Your sacrifice is much appreciated," Thor replies, but Loki ignores her and swishes off to the bathroom instead.

*

Loki steers clear of her, over the next three days. He does nothing but fidget with impatience though, and sigh restlessly.

The fourth day Thor tires of it and says, "Jotun, do you want to fuck?"

"What?" He crosses his arms protectively across his chest and proceeds to put on an extremely scandalized air.

"I asked you a question."

"You are ill-mannered and badly bred. Are you certain you are of royal blood?"

Thor says, "It is a question that requires a one word answer, Jotun. I will only ask it the once, and not again. Decide wisely."

Loki thinks about it for far too long, in Thor's opinion, and she is about to throw her hands up in despair and give up when he finally, finally, nods his head. He doesn't move from his corner of the room though.

"Our bodies are not going to join if you are way over there." She will meet him halfway, she decides. Exactly so, and she waits as he takes hesitant steps forward, until he is in front of her.

"I -"

Thor puts her hand to his lips, says, "Speak less. It will probably be better that way."

The day speeds past in a pleasant, sticky blur.

And the next day, and the day after that.

Thor learns a thing or two, or fifty, about Jotun physiology.

She explores the planes of his body with her fingers, finds out what makes him hiss, what makes him arch off the bed and spill his seed.

She finds her fist in his cunt, while he yowls and clutches at the sheets.

She opens her legs wide for him, while he forgets himself and drags her into his lap, slides his cock up deep inside.

Still, as much as Loki seems to enjoy her putting her mouth and her fingers wherever she can find, he is not at all inclined to reciprocate, no matter how many hints Thor drops. Finally she tires of it and says, "Do you not know of any other use for your tongue save for rudeness?"

Loki pointedly ignores her.

"We can fuck like your people from now on, Jotun. I might fall asleep, try not to wake me when you roll off."

"Fine," Loki says. "Spread your legs."

Thor obliges, just to see what he will do, and has the pleasure of seeing him kneel between her legs, an expression of befuddlement on his face. "I am not a light switch. You may want to kiss me first."

"Must I put my mouth wherever you command me to."

"I am not commanding you to do anything," Thor says, putting her arms above her head and stretching.

Loki kisses her briefly, then surges back for a longer kiss, sliding his tongue past her teeth and into her mouth. Thor takes his hand and puts it between her legs. "See, now I am ready," she says against his lips.

Loki takes his hand away, nudges his cock at her, "Perhaps my cock will be sufficient -"

"Then you should be satisfied with my cunt as well. For the love of the Elder Gods you are worse than a virgin bride on her wedding night. Still."

Loki's mouth hardens into a grim line, and perhaps Thor should have kept her mouth shut: she does not know what he will do. After a moment though, he cocks his head, and smiles a crooked little smile. "It is my duty to please you, your highness," he says, and crawls back down her body, settling down inside of her spread legs.

"If only that were true."

This is all her own fault, she thinks, a while later, driven almost to madness by his tongue, oh his blasted tongue. "Loki," she says, and almost doesn't recognize her own voice, broken as it is with desire, with need. "Please, oh _please_."

Afterwards, he puts his head on her chest as she lies there boneless and wrung out and says, "That was educational. Thank you."

"Urk," Thor says, and it is just about all she can manage. His fingers wander towards her cunt and she slaps them away, unable to bear even the thought of another round. Loki laughs.

*

"You seem to be in a vastly more cheerful mood recently, Thor," Sif says, as they are readying to go on a hunt shortly after their release from confinement. There is a disturbance in Alfheim, reports of beasts snatching children from their homes.

Thor had, and won, an argument with Odin earlier as to whether it was appropriate for her to leave Asgard yet again, so soon after the wedding. "So my movements are to be restricted henceforth," she'd said, despairing. Frigga had touched Odin's hand, leaned into him to whisper, and only then had Odin relented.

"Only because I -" Thor pauses. "Do you think I should tell him I'm leaving?" It has entirely slipped her mind.

"You might want to, yes."

She ignores the laughter of the Warriors Three as she goes back into the castle. Perhaps Loki is right, they are idiots after all.

Loki is in his second favorite place. Thor finds him deep in the stacks, hunched over a book. "Your literature is deeply unsophisticated," he says, as Thor skids to a halt. "Do you ever write anything that does not involve the slaying of beasts and the bedding of attractive peasant women?"

"But what else is there?" Thor widens her eyes.

Loki snaps the book shut, narrowing his eyes at Thor's armor. "Are you leaving, then?"

"I need to slay a beast," Thor says. "I promise not to bed any attractive peasant women afterwards."

"Do, or do not," Loki replies. He puts the book back onto its shelf and reaches for another. "I do not care."

"Clearly not," Thor says. She does not know why she even bothers.

She turns to leave, but halts when Loki says, "Wait, Thor." He slinks over as if he cannot help himself, rubs the fuzz on top of her head with his palm. "Do try to return in one piece. Bring me back the pelt of something worthy."

"Aye," Thor says. "I will."

*

Loki seems to be deeply unimpressed when Thor returns, as promised, with the pelt of the beast over her shoulder. She drapes it over his shoulders, and he wrinkles his nose. "It smells," he says. "You smell."

"I will take a bath."

"You should." But there is a hazy cast to his features, a glint in his eyes that Thor recognizes, familiar across almost all the races.

The bath is forgotten until much, much later.

"Why do you not have more fuzz on your head," Loki asks, afterwards. He runs his fingers through the light curls on Thor's cunt. "You have fuzz there."

"It's called hair," Thor replies, and she takes Loki's hand and puts it back when he tries to remove it. "And I keep it shaved. I don't know why."

"Hm," Loki says. He touches Thor's head lightly with his other hand, and Thor feels a prickling in her scalp, feels hair sprouting out of it and growing until it is a long, golden wave around her body.

"I thought you did not like all the fuzz."

"It has grown on me, somewhat." He drapes handfuls of hair around his chest. "Look, it's like a pelt. But I can reverse it if you want."

"Leave it." She idly twirls a lock around her finger. "I could get used to it. It will be fine."

*

"If I am to keep this hair," she tells Loki the next day, turning her helmet over in her hands, "I will have to make this a little bigger."

"Give it to me," Loki says. He rubs the metal until it burns red-hot for a brief moment, before returning back to its smooth silver sheen. "There," he says, dropping it over her head.

"Oh," she says, "It fits!"

"Why wings," Loki asks, his fingers trailing over the grooves in the metal.

"I don't know," Thor says. "I am told that if I could harness my power, I could fly. Father says it will come with time and experience. And - patience."

"Ah, patience," Loki says, nodding his head. "A trait of which you possess vast reservoirs of."

Thor hits him in the shoulder, and then kicks him below the knee for good measure. Loki merely gives her an infuriating half-smirk in response. "When I learn, I will take you up into the stars, and we will go wherever you like," she says, and leans forward to kiss him, but the helmet gets in the way.

Loki grabs it and pulls it off, tosses it carelessly aside. "This is why the Jotuns are the far superior race," he says, before he kisses her. "Our heads come with their own armor."

Thor tries to formulate a fitting response, but his hand is on her breast, and she forgets soon enough.

*

They argue, far more than they get along, though. Over the silliest of things, which mostly end with Loki sniffing disdainfully at her as she threatens to throw him out the window. Once, a cabinet ends up sailing out of it, tossed by Thor in a fit of rage.

Mother sighs, and says, "Someone might have gotten hurt," Thor.

Thor sits at her feet and puts her knees to her chest. "It was all his fault. He infuriates me. We have a lot of, ah - in the bedroom. But there is nothing that we cannot argue over, it seems. Maybe it is that the Jotuns are just contrary by nature."

Frigga sighs, and pets her hair. Thor still does not know what to with it, and so it is tangled in unruly knots down her back. "You might want to stop thinking of him as Jotun and start picturing him as your husband, love."

"But he is Jotun," Thor says. "And I like parts of him." His cock, mostly. An attendant hands Frigga a brush. She takes a handful of Thor's hair in her hand and starts to bush out the knots. "What parts, dear?"

"It is not - he reads and practices sorcery and cheats whenever we spar. I do not think he is very honest."

"Is that all? Well you have made such an effort to get to know him it is a wonder you are not deliriously happy in marriage."

"Ow," Thor says, as her skull is tugged.

"If you are going to keep this hair you need to tend to it. Not once a week," she adds as Thor opens her mouth. "Why the sudden long locks, anyway? I have been chasing after you for years to let it grow."

"Loki. He was only trying to spite me," Thor says. "I don't know what he likes."

Frigga hands her the brush. "You might want to start from there. Marriage is about compromise. It is not," she adds, "about how often you manage to break the bed."


	4. Four.

Thor does not want to ask Sif for advice as they are both so alike, and so she ends up asking Fandral instead. "Women," Fandral beams. "You have come to the right man for advice, Thor. I know everything there is to know about the complex mysteries of the heart. Most especially what men desire." 

"He is hardly a man," Thor says, barely refraining from rolling her eyes.

"Perhaps that is the problem, then," Fandral puts an arm around her shoulder and leads her to a mirror. "Tell me, what do you see?"

"A mighty warrior, standing next to a blustering fool."

"He is a prince. A Jotun prince, but a prince nonetheless. Perhaps what he desires most is a princess."

"I am a princess," Thor says firmly. She hits him in the chest with the back of her hand. "Speak plainly, Fandral. I go weary of your chatter."

Fandral sighs. "He likes your hair long. It might just be a hint that what he wants is for you to be more like your mother and less like your father."

"Why in the nine would he - ugh." She pushes him away. "Your advice is less than useless. There is nothing wrong with me, it is him that requires fixing."

And yet, alone in her chambers later on, she cannot help but think: well, there would be no harm if she made some sort of effort. Fandral does have vastly more experience with relationships than she does, although considering how long most of his dalliances last, he is probably not very good at them.

Still.

Thor rises to her feet and calls out for the attendants, who come scurrying over. "Your armor is ready for the feast tonight, your highness. Polished to perfection."

"I -" Thor shakes her head. "I thought perhaps we would try something different this time. Please call my mother."

*

The dance starts off well enough, even if Loki has nothing to say about her appearance. Everyone else does, though, to the point where it starts to be uncomfortable. Was she that unacceptable in her manner of dressing previously? Surely only a few thought that way.

It is only when they are dancing, and after an old member of the council has leaned over to kiss her cheek and compliment her on her beauty, that Loki peers closely at her. "Did you put paint on your face," he asks.

"Aye," Thor beams. "Mother helped me. What do you think?"

"Is this a trick question? You look like a dog with paint on his face."

Thor stops dancing and leaves the room, because it seems a better alternative than punching him in the face right there in the banquet hall. Mother might think they were not getting along again, and barricade them in their rooms once more.

It is Agni that finds her as she rounds a corner, not Sif or Loki or even one of the Warriors Three. "Princess," he says, his grip on her strong as he pushes her forward, behind heavy curtains.

"Agni," she says. "Unhand me at once."

"Ah, but how can I, when you look so fetching." He twirls a lock of her hair around his finger, and says, "Who has upset you, Milady. Surely not that Jotun fiend."

Thor slaps his hand away. "You are drunk," she says.

"Of course I am drunk. I have to be, to even bear the days out. After you ruined me -"

"You ruined yourself. I did nothing of the sort."

Agni's lip curls up, and how she had ever found him attractive at all is beyond her. "I was supposed to be king, you stupid wench. Now I am nothing. I am less than nothing - my family name is ruined, will be for generations to come."

"Perhaps if you had managed to keep it in your pants."

"Perhaps if you had made some effort to behave like a woman, I might have." He pushes her further into the shadows, his fingers clamping painfully around her arms. "You would not do it for me, but you would for him. Is his cock that great, are you just so perverse that he makes your thighs quiver and your cunt sopping wet?"

"He is a far better lover than you have any hope to be," Thor says. "A better man as well. You should know your place, Agni. Now unhand me, or I will show you what it is like to be ruined. It is only because of our past that I have not yet pounded your face into dust."

"You ungrateful little -" His hand rears back, but is halted by long blue fingers wrapping themselves slowly around his wrist. Agni screams, high and thin.

"Really, Thor," Loki says, releasing his grip. "How can you allow him to speak to you in such a manner? I would have had him beheaded for even daring to touch me without permission. Do Asgardians often treat their royalty with such little respect?"

"You," Thor says, gathering up her skirts and getting ready to flounce off. "I am not speaking to you."

"I do not understand why you ran off like that. Did I upset you?"

"Help, please," Agni says, from where he has fallen to the floor. Thor ignores him.

"Did you upset -" She can barely even find the words. "You called me an ugly dog."

"I have called you far worse. It has never bothered you before."

"That was different! I had not made an effort previously."

"Oh, do shut up," Loki tells Agni, who continues to wail while at clutching his hand. "Thor barely even flinched, and I used far greater force."

"You should go to the healers," Thor sweeps past both him and Loki. "The pain will stop. Eventually."

Loki trails after her. "So it bothers you because you painted your face. I do not understand. And who is that man and why do you tolerate his behavior towards you?"

Thor doesn't answer him until they are back in the privacy of their chambers and she can toss off the horrible clothes. By the time she is back in her regular outfit she is hoping that Loki will let the matter drop, but he is still staring expectantly. "He is no one important," she says finally, with much exasperation. "We were betrothed to be married, that is all."

"Wait, you were betrothed to be married to that -" he waves his hand, as if he cannot even be bothered to think of a proper insult.

"It was arranged from youth. His family comes from one of the oldest lines of our political allies. It would have been a good fit, good for Asgard."

"So then what happened? Why are you not bearing his revoltingly dull children as we speak?"

"I found him with one of the kitchen servants. And he did not even apologize. All he said was that I made him feel unworthy, that I was plain and barely a woman at all, for the way that I behaved. " She clamps her jaw shut, steadies her breathing before she continues, "It was not the first time as well, and almost everyone knew other than those closest to me, but no one saw fit to inform me of it. Perhaps they thought he was right."

Loki tilts his head, in that manner of his that suggests he is trying to process her words, to understand them. She sits down on the edge of the bed and miserably puts her head in her hands, not bothering to remove them even when he sits down next to her. "You will not understand," she says.

"Not precisely, but I have read enough of your -" he pauses. "History books to comprehend somewhat. You were born a runt as well in many ways, yes?"

Thor hiccups, and lays her head against his shoulder. He touches her cheek, and she feels the paint dissolving, leaving her face scrubbed clean of color. "You are an ugly dog as well, Jotun," she tells him, quite solemnly.

Loki says, "I like your cunt, Asgardian. And your breasts, and how you fuck. The paint only covers your face. I hardly see the point."

"But everyone else does."

"If it gives you some comfort, in Jotunheim you will be considered repellent no matter how much paint you put on." He sounds only slightly bitter as he continues, "We do value a warrior's prowess though, so perhaps not."

Thor tilts her head up so she can see his face more clearly, says, "So you do not mind that I come without a cock?"

"Well, I would not go that far."

"That's what I heard, you cannot take it back." She laughs as he pushes her down onto the bed, wraps her legs around his waist. "He is rather inadequate," she says. "I would not want to be married to him instead of you."

The smile slips off Loki's face, but then he twines his fingers in her hair and lowers his head, kisses her hard.

*

Thor wanders into the library, where Loki is not supposed to be after a certain time of night, and yet somehow she often finds him there.

"How does Heimdall not catch you," she says.

"I have my ways." He is sitting against a wall. Thor clambers into his lap, and he asks, "Why are you only half dressed? Where are your pants?"

"Hogun, the cheat, took them."

"Took them?"

"Cards. He cheated."

"Yes, yes I'm well aware anyone that beats you does so in an underhanded manner."

Thor loops her arms around his neck. "When I was young, I would always worry Heimdall would watch me behaving in an unseemly manner, and would tell Mother. It is apparently a very common concern, even though," she lowers her voice to mimic Mother's, "Heimdall has far better things to you than to spy on you, Thor. besides, what _have_ you been up to that causes you so much worry, hm?"

Loki fingers her cloak idly, and Thor wraps it around them both. "But you play cards in your full armor?"

"Because they cheat, and my armor has more pieces for me to discard whenever I lose a hand." She sighs fitfully and paws at Loki's clothes, palms the cock that she can feel jutting against her thigh. "I gambled away my goats once, but Sif felt pity for me and gave them back." Loki grabs her chin as she is struggling to lift herself onto him, forces her to look up. "What?"

"You lose because you are terrible liar," he says. "Not because they cheat."

"I am not."

"Yes you are, and it makes you weak. Do you understand that?"

"I am not weak either," Thor says, and finally manages to slip his cock up into her. She rocks against him, and he gasps, pulls her against his chest.

"What are you reading," she asks afterwards, tilting her head in an attempt to read the words on the book laid open next to Loki. She reaches for it to flip open a page, but Loki slaps her hand away.

"Do you have so little respect for your ancient scripts, that you would touch it with your soiled hands." He seems utterly scandalized.

Thor holds her palm up to him, blinks. "Lick it clean then, if you must."

Loki looks as if he would rather topple her off his lap and run off with the book safely under his arm, and in the faint flickering of his eyes she can almost see him considering his options, weighing each one. All this over a book. She takes pity on him, puts her palm to her mouth and swipes her tongue up it, inhaling the sharp scent of their combined slick. Loki's turned faintly pale by the time she is done. It gets increasingly difficult to remember Loki's peculiar notions, but on occasion she finds herself having to face them. "There," she says, wagging her fingers in front of his face. "I am clean. May I touch the book now?"

"Did that - was that pleasurable?"

"It was nothing I have not tasted before. Nor you," she adds pointedly.

"Yes but during, not after. It is unsanitary."

"They are merely bodily fluids. I do not mind them. I fear you have been lied to, Jotun. I bet King Laufey has slutty Frost Giant wenches in the throne room all the time, riding his wet cock and swallowing down his sticky seed. I bet when they send you to bed it is just one giant orgy after another." She tilts her head yet again, and manages to turn the page unimpeded as Loki laughs. "Oh," she says, as her eyes scan the page. "Are we hunting a Gulinboar?"

*

"You cannot," Loki says, heaving with impatience. "It is madness."

Thor ignores him to grab at the holographic map of Svartalfheim, expands it so it is laid out in a glittering, faintly transparent array in front of her. "Only if we get caught. And we will not get caught. I have heard of these beasts, but their existence is mere myth, stories told around the table by bored old men who have not touched a sword in centuries. The stories are largely embellished." She takes the torn out page of the book from underneath her belt, rolls it out to lay it over the one before her, searching for the place where they meet. Loki had threatened to spank her when she had torn the page out, but the damage had already been done. "How did you manage to find this map?"

"I read," Loki says. "Books."

"I have read books too," Thor says, with some distraction, as she manages to find where the maps are identical. Over mountains, mercifully away from whatever civilization the Dark Elves might have. Makes sense, if the creatures dwelled within. "I was forced to memorize so many of them so far into my childhood that I am now sufficiently traumatized to the point where I have to abstain entirely, due to how my brain seizes from the horror."

Loki's snort of disgust is the only answer that she is rewarded with. He walks into the hologram, breaking up the map so it shines brightly around the edges of his form. "Thor, you cannot go to Svartalfheim. Not even for a Gulinboar. Malekith is mad, and I do not think Odin will appreciate you starting a war so soon after he has settled another one."

"Perhaps it is that I want him to find me yet another groom to marry."

"Asgardian society frowns upon polyamory," Loki replies, with an unimpressed scowl.

"What makes you think I want to add a husband instead of replacing the one I already have?" She dances out of his reach. "If you are not willing to help me."

"Fine," Loki says. "But we go alone. No Warriors Three, no Sif."

"Just the two of us," Thor says slowly, chewing on her bottom lip. "Well, I suppose you are a competent enough warrior, and your sorcery might come in handy if needed. I don't imagine you know a way out of Asgard without alerting Heimdall, do you?"

Loki blinks lazily at her, and his mouth curls up into a satisfied smile.

Thor could kiss him. She could do even more, but it will have to wait. "Onward," she says, thrusting the map at his chest. "For glory."

Loki rolls his eyes up to the heavens, mutters something unintelligible under his breath.

*

They leave at night, when even Heimdall will avert his gaze. Considering what they are usually up to at this hour, he should be, anyway. Thor piles furs over her shoulder, but Loki rejects them when she offers, strips down to the loincloth she has only seen them wear in battle. "How do we leave?"

"There are gateways. Come here." Thor moves to him, wraps her arms around his waist and presses their bodies together. "It is not necessary for us to be this close," he says, but he does not break away. "Close your eyes."

When Thor opens them again they are in a passageway, narrow enough for the two of them to walk side by side, but barely that. The walls glow blue, pulsing with a shimmering, streaming light.

"Do not touch the walls."

Thor drops her hand. Loki takes the other one and leads her along, down the passageway until it splits into two, where he pauses briefly before choosing left. "Where does the other passage lead to," Thor asks.

"Elsewhere."

Ahead of them, Thor can see snow falling thickly, set against darkness. They walk through it, and when she turns back the passageway is gone. "That is amazing," Thor calls out, clapping Loki on the shoulder.

"Come along," Loki says. "We have a long ways ahead of us."

They set up camp for the night at Loki's insistence, after trudging through knee high snow for what seems like hours. "It is too far," Loki yells at her, through the whipping snow. "And there is a storm coming."

"Aye," Thor says, quelling her natural inclination to keep going until she collapses. She can sense the change in the weather, a darkening to the already dark sky. The land is already barely hospitable, what more under siege by a storm. Loki points upwards to what looks like a cave set in the mountains, and Thor nods, readies herself for the climb.

But Loki only pulls her to him, ice forming underneath his feet and raising them both up until they reach the entrance of the cave. He sets her down on the frozen ground and stomps on the ice until the entire path collapses, ice falling back towards the ground.

Inside, it is barely warmer than out, and Thor shivers until Loki lights a fire with a swirl of his fingers. "What would you do without me, Asgardian?"

"I have survived many a quest without your aid," Thor says, huddling closer to him. "Can you offer me body heat as well?"

"I can offer you a distraction if you wish." He is different here, surrounded by ice and snow and darkness rather than the perpetual light of Asgard. Stronger, somehow. Even his bearing is different.

"It's too cold for your cock."

"I did not offer it, merely a distraction."

Thor wraps the fur tighter around her body, but now that Loki has brought it up she cannot stop thinking about it. She nudges at his feet with her boot. Loki ignores her the first time, so she does it again and again, until he hooks his fingers under her knee and drags her forward. They both end up sprawled on the ground when she loses her balance and tips him over. Thor uses the opportunity to tug at his loincloth, but he merely wraps his arms around her tight and says, "Sleep, Thor. If you wish to slay the beast tomorrow we need rest."

"I do not wish to sleep." But she is already yawning, already closing her eyes, and she falls asleep to him rubbing his hand against her back.

*

"You were not born yet, were you, during the first war between Asgard and Jotunheim," Loki asks, as they set off again after the storm has abated. The snow has stopped, but there is a fresh layer covering the land; Thor's boots sink even deeper as she tries to keep walking. She curses the land, curses the snow, curses everything and everyone ever even remotely affiliated with the cold. Except possibly Loki. "Thor," Loki says, sharp.

"Hm? No, no I was not born yet. Do not ask me to speak again, I can feel my tongue threatening to freeze whenever I open my mouth."

"Fine, then you may listen. It is said that when Jotunheim marched against Asgard, first they released the Casket against Svartalfheim, unleashing eternal winter onto the realm."

"So you are responsible for this cold," Thor says. "It figures."

"Shush. We don't want that talented tongue of yours falling off due to frostbite, not while I still have use for it."

"You had no use for it last night," Thor complains, but shuts her mouth afterwards, lacking the energy to even argue with him. At this rate the battle will already be lost, she will encounter the beast and fall, exhausted, at its feet to be eaten.

"As I was saying," Loki says. "During the first war-"

"Yes, yes I am aware, Asgard struck its first treaty with Jotunheim and part of it was to allow Jotunheim to decimate Svartalfheim, drain it of its resources. I told you," she adds at Loki's look, "I was forced to read a great many books."

"And would you have made the decision had you been king," Loki asks, seemingly uninterested in her answer.

"Queen," Thor corrects him yet again, for he still refuses to learn the distinction. "And Father says I have too narrow a mindset, that I have a woman's soft heart and and am yet unable to decide on behalf of the greater good. I was grateful for the end of our last war," she shrugs. "Perhaps a few more years and I would have understood."

Loki crests over a hill and exhales quietly. "There," he says, pulling Thor up to stand next to him.

The beast is magnificent. They both stare for a while as it paces with a slow, coiled sort of grace, only pausing to idly paw at what at some point must have been a magnificent creature in its own right. Loki's hand tightens in hers. "I feel this might not have been the wisest idea," he says. The beast lifts its head, sniffs the air. And then its head lowers and it charges without warning, straight at the two of them.

Thor lifts her head up and yells, the blood pumping wildly through her veins. Loki is yelling at her, attempting to drag her back, but she pushes him behind her and spins Mjolnir, launches herself at the beast. She lands on its head, and manages to stay there for only the briefest of moments before it is tossing her back as if she were nothing more than a bothersome gnat. Thor lands on her back, the wind knocked out of her.

"Are you dead, Asgardian?"

Thor smiles brilliantly at Loki as his face appears above hers. "Not just yet, Jotun."

"I wouldn't be too happy if I were you. That might soon change." He grabs Thor by her furs and drags her to her feet as the heavy tread of the beast approaches. "We should run."

Thor releases Mjolnir instead, tosses it with as much force as she can muster. The beast squeals as the hammer hits the side of its head, but barely slows down. "Its head is as hard as yours." Thor grabs Mjolnir as it returns, prepares another plan of attack.

"Oh yes, it is _my_ head that is hard." Loki's glare is scathing. He builds ice under his feet and spirals them both out the way, fast enough that the wind whips ice-cold against Thor's face. The beast slams against the ice and it cracks, breaks apart beneath their feet. Thor flails and lands on densely packed snow, Loki following suit. It hurts, every inch of her hurts, but she staggers to her feet, tries to find a weak spot in the animal's hard, granite-tough skin. There does not seem to be any.

"Run," Loki says. He has gotten to his feet as well, and grabbed Thor by the hand.

"I will not -" She changes her mind, concurs, "Run!"

Loki tries to turn left, but Thor drags him to the right instead, to where the ground gives way to a sheer drop. Thor swears she can feel the beast's foul breath as she skids over the edge, taking Loki with her. It's his ice that saves them in the end, forming a precarious ledge on an outcropping right below the cliff edge.

They both lift their heads to stare at the beast as it sails over them, and Loki says, "The next time, if you have a plan, perhaps you should inform me of it beforehand."

Thor is about to express her pleasure that there will be a next time, when she hears the sound. It is faint, but steadily increasing in volume, and familiar. "Loki," Thor says, trying to keep her voice steady, "I do not suppose you noticed if the Gulinboar had wings or not."

*

Loki spits out blood and makes a disgusted face, "I will never be clean again," he says, moaning. "I swear that some of it has gotten stuck inside of me."

Thor laughs, and turns her head towards him as she collapses down next to him. Every part of her aches, she has bits of intestine in her hair and her furs are soaked through with blood. It is glorious. She wipes green blood out of Loki's eyes and kisses him, ignores his disgruntled snort to slide her tongue past his teeth, kissing him until she cannot stand it anymore. She pulls away, says dizzily, "I love you."

Loki coughs. "Oh," he says. "Um."

"I didn't mean it in that way," Thor says, in a rush. "I just meant -"

It is fortunate then, for both of them, that the Dark Elves show up.

*

They are returned with a curious lack of incidence to Asgard, to face Odin's wrath. "I expect this from you," Odin tells Thor, "But I was hoping your husband had more sense than that."

"I take full responsibility," Loki cuts in smoothly, before Thor can start speaking. She shoots him a confused look. "This was my idea. Thor is a warrior of such repute I had it in mind that I would impress her if we slayed a beast together. I offer my humblest apologies, my liege." On that, Loki gets onto one knee.

Thor gapes at him.

"Thor, is this true?" He waves his hand instead of waiting for a response and says, "Just leave me be."

Thor grabs Loki from the floor and pulls him away before Odin changes his mind, leaves him shaking his head in despair.

"There was no need to take the blame for my actions," Thor says, as they return to their chambers.

Loki merely shrugs. "You would only have argued with him and I would have to stand and listen to your dreadful bellowing for far too long. This way at least I get to have some rest." He picks at some dried goop on his chest. "A bath first, perhaps."

Thor trails after him into the bathroom, even though he is particular about this as well. It is as if every bodily function of the Jotuns is sacred in some way or another. But Loki ignores her as she sits on the edge of the bathtub to watch him adjust the water until it suits him. Thor dips her hand into the water as she contemplates joining him. She is filthy as well. "It's freezing," she says.

"We would seem to be of a different species," Loki says. "Surprising, that."

Thor splashes water into his face, laughs when he reciprocates with far greater force, drenching her with water. "Why do you think they let us go," she asks, once they've settled down.

They'd been separated: Thor had sought to do battle with them at first, but Loki had lifted his arms up in surrender and glared at Thor until she did the same. She was merely biding her time, but he whispered to her, "Follow my lead," and ignored her attempt at protest. Soon enough, their hands were bound with magic and Thor couldn't break free even if she'd wanted to. Even after they threw her into a dark cell alone, and propelled Loki elsewhere.

Soldiers. They were the royal guard, or whatever was left of them. Thor couldn't understand why Malekith wouldn't even meet with her: she was the crown princess after all.

"What do you mean," Loki asks now, sighing in contentment.

Thor makes a turn around motion with her finger and he obliges, passing her his scrub when she holds out her hand. "I mean, why would they just release us." She scrubs the gunk off his back as she talks. "I would not release a Dark Elf without interrogation if one were found wandering around Asgard."

"Perhaps they were afraid. I do not think Odin takes kindly to those that would harm his son."

"Daughter," Thor corrects automatically, ignoring Loki's annoyed shrug. "Were you spoken to at all?"

"The Dark Elves hate the Jotuns even more than they do the Aesir. The only thing said to me was 'move, dog.' They are a lot like you in that respect."

Thor leans over, puts her head on Loki's shoulder. "But I mean it fondly, Jotun."

Loki says, "Did you manage to keep that tooth you dug out?"

"I did. Do not ask me where I hid it. You should have kept a trophy for yourself, it was as much your kill as it was mine."

"I have no use for a tooth. You have stopped scrubbing my back."

"Aye," Thor says. She wraps both her arms around Loki's frame, says, "Turn the water warm, Jotun. I will join you."

"But the water is filthy now. As are you."

"Then it should not matter, should it? Oh fine, I will wait outside until you are done."

But he grabs her elbow as she makes to leave, drags her into the bath fully clothed. Thor gasps at the shock of cold, but it warms soon enough. Loki helps her undress, throws everything with wild abandon onto the floor before he grips her hips and drags her into his lap.

Thor nuzzles at him, grateful that thus far he has refrained from asking her about her embarrassing confession of love. Because it is not true, surely. He is a Jotun, he is unpleasant and difficult and given to the most petty of grievances, and she cannot be in the same place with him for more than a few minutes without them dissolving into some argument or another. She has affection for his cock, it must be that her mind has misconstrued that as affection for him.

"Your hair is filthy," Loki says. He unbraids it, picks at a damp strand to show her a piece of fur attached to gristle.

Thor bends backwards until her head is submerged beneath the water, shakes her head vigorously before rising once again. "There, all clean."

"Hardly."

But he stops talking when Thor loops her arms around his shoulders, peppers his face with kisses.

*

Thor fashions a necklace of the tooth, hangs it around Loki's neck.

"I recall its teeth as being bigger," Loki says.

"I took a small tooth at the back of its mouth. Part of a tooth." She tugs on the necklace, is pleased that she can drag Loki forward with it. "One day, I will bring home trophies valued enough to be kept in our Vault."

"What, a tooth from the rarest of creatures in all the realms is not fit to be displayed? I am shocked."

Thor rolls her eyes.

"What could you possibly have in there of such value?"

"We are Asgard," Thor says. "Protector of the nine realms, a beacon of hope that shines across the stars. What do we not have?"

"Eh," Loki says, and continues to look profoundly unimpressed.

"It is forbidden, or I would show you."

"Reasonable enough. I would not let a Jotun in either." His voice is strained, his shoulders tight.

"Come on then," Thor says, and sighs. "Follow me." Of course she is not allowed in the Vault either, not without reason, but there is no part of Asgard that she has not explored, and there are always ways for a child bored and curious enough, and guards charmed enough by her smile to turn a blind eye to the security breach. Besides, it is not as if she is stupid enough to touch anything, not when the Destroyer lies in wait.

Loki is unmoved by all the artifacts in the Vault. Instead he walks over to the Casket, fingers hovering at its sides. "This is the source of all the power in Jotunheim," he says, his voice flat and distant. "Without it, everything crumbles to dust."

"I am certain Father will return it in time."

"When? We have lost the war and the treaty has been signed. When will he return what's ours? After he's satisfied that we no longer pose a threat? When there is nothing left to rebuild?"

Thor crosses her arms across her chest, surges forward. "When I am queen -"

The gaze Loki turns upon her is dark, overflowing with bitterness. "You will return it to us then, yes?

"I -" Thor begins, a lie on her lips. But he is right: she does not know how to lie convincingly, at least not to him. "I don't know," she says, in the end. "Not if Laufey were still king."

"And if I were king?"

Thor shakes her head. "I don't know," she repeats.

Loki looks resigned, as if he had expected nothing else but this answer, and Thor flushes, turns away.


	5. Five.

It is their first voyage to Jotunheim since the truce was carved. Loki has been alternating between pensive and irritable the entire week, ever since the plans were announced. He paces, and broods, and snaps at Thor whenever she ventures too close.

Thor finally cannot take it anymore, and cradles his head in her hands. "Relax, Loki. You return as my prince. There is no need for nerves."

Loki pushes her away. "You understand nothing. The arrogance of your people is astounding. Do you think we sit around wishing that you would only come and conquer us and fill us with your filthy seed?"

"Well," Thor says. Loki glares. "I cannot fill you, or anyone else, with my seed. Does that answer your question?" Her words only seem to incense Loki more. It is as if they are newly married yet again, and an hour cannot go past without them screeching at one another. "What has gotten into you? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong," Loki says. He suddenly darts forward, wraps his arms around Thor. She drags him closer, and can feel him tremble. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you." Loki pulls away, and his hand comes up to brush her hair away from her face. But when Thor opens her mouth he grabs her and turns her around, shoves her onto the bed. Thor rolls over, shoots her hand out to halt him as he bears down, fingers over his throat. "Enough," she says.

Loki's face crumbles, and Thor releases him, allows him to fall over her, nestle his head at her shoulder. "Forgive me," he says. "I did not expect to return so soon."

"It will be fine," Thor says, and swallows down the uneasiness, where it settles, hard as a rock, in her stomach.

*

Thor takes a walk with Father, the morning they are about to leave. They keep silent for a while, and finally Thor stops and bursts out, "I am bothered."

"Ah," Odin says, as if he has been expecting this. "This is about Loki, yes? Do you not trust him?"

Thor considers, very carefully. "I would like to, but I cannot."

"Because he is a Jotun?"

"Because he is not being truthful." She pauses. "I fear I have trusted him far too much already."

Odin puts his hand on her cheek. "So what will you do?"

"Can you not just tell me?" She turns away and starts walking again. "I do not think I am fit to be queen - how do I protect Asgard when I cannot even trust my own heart?"

"Oh," Odin says, and he sounds amused, "are we bringing our hearts into this?" His amusement fades away as Thor frowns. "Others can be more than just friend or foe, Thor. You will learn that soon enough."

"Ugh," Thor says. "I don't like this uncertainty. I must either trust him or not."

"And so?"

Thor makes a decision. "And so I will go to Jotunheim."

Odin takes her across the Bridge where Mother is already waiting. Loki isn't there.

"Where is he?"

Mother says, "I'm certain he will be right along."

Heimdall clears his throat. He shakes his head at Thor, and Thor tilts her chin up in defiance. "Your highness," he says pointedly.

Mother turns from Heimdall to Thor and then back again. "What am I missing?"

"That is for Thor to tell you."

"Um," Thor says.

Mother guesses soon enough, gasps in what Thor hopes is delight and not disappointment. "I must say," she tells Thor, "that's rather quick. Your father and I waited half a century before we were gifted with you."

"You locked us in our rooms together!"

"Yes, yes. Oh, come here." She hugs Thor, and then Odin hugs Thor. Heimdall merely pats her awkwardly on the back.

Loki shows up right as Mother starts to sniffle. "My apologies," he says. "I was - did I miss something?"

Thor beams at him and takes his hand in hers. Loki stares at it, but after a while squeezes back. "I will tell you later," Thor says. "In your home."

*

In Jotunheim, it goes wrong almost from the moment she takes a step onto the Odinforsaken place. "Where is our delegation," she asks, when faced with only a circle of stone-faced Jotuns. "They were to greet us at our arrival. I demand that you take us to them right now."

" _We_ ," the Jotun to the right says. "Are you stupid enough to believe there is a we? Loki, you might not be completely useless after all."

Loki releases Thor's hand, steps deliberately away from her. "Helblindi, you have a way with words as usual."

"What is the meaning of this," Thor asks, even though she already knows. "Loki, I -" She raises Mjolnir, ready to strike until she receives some answers, but finds she cannot lift it. Instead it drops from nerveless fingers to the ground. The land starts to go dark around them. Thor sways. "What have you done to me, Loki." Loki's face is entirely free of expression. Thor sways again, and this time, as she's surging forward towards Loki, she falls.

*

She awakens to the sound of voices speaking in rough tones. "I admit, I have never seen one up close - they are as hideous as our tales tell, Beli."

"Can you imagine, Prince Loki lying with that?"

"Eh, he was always an odd one. Probably enjoyed it, the runt."

"I wouldn't keep on calling him that - I heard he's favored to be king now, that they're bringing us -" They fall silent as Thor sits up, takes view of her surroundings. She is in a prison, the walls and floor carved with the pale sort of rock the Jotuns favor. Thor rises to her feet and moves towards the guards, who gape openly at her as she approaches.

"What is the meaning of this," Thor asks. "I demand you release me right now."

One of them turns to the other. "Look, Idi, it speaks." To Thor, he says, "The only release you'll find is when your head is separated from your body."

"I am Thor, heir to the throne of Asgard, and I demand you release me, you hideous streak of piss."

They both burst into laughter.

"Where is Loki," Thor says. "Bring him to me - I need to -" But oh, his face when he had moved away from her. Thor staggers back into a wall, slides down until she is sitting yet again. She calls for Mjolnir, but there is no response. Thor flexes her fingers and stares at her hand.

A cold fist enters her belly, squeezes hard until she is gasping, fighting back tears. It hurts. Nothing has ever hurt like this before. She must be dying. Perhaps Loki's spell or his poison has killed her, killed their child.

"Hey, Asgardian," one of the Jotun calls out. "Do not look so upset. It will be over soon."

"May Surtur melt your bones and use them as toothpicks," Thor says, but she cannot be bothered with them anymore. She curls her knees up to her chest and hugs them, wills the pain away.

They keep her for two days and two nights. Thor only knows this by the replacing of the guards, although she has to calculate how a day in Jotunheim differs in time from Asgard. Mother would not expect contact yet: Thor has always been tardy when it comes to bringing back word. Heimdall would know, surely, but of course Loki would have hidden them from view. Thor spends her time seeing if there is any means of escape, but the prison seems built for the likes of her.

"What is it doing," one of the guards asks, the first one Thor heard speak when she woke. Thor ignores him, continues to pound her fist into the wall. It does not even crumble. She moves on to another side.

"Who cares? It's not going anywhere. Listen, so yesterday Gerd said to me -"

Thor allows their voices to fade into the background as they discuss their spouses, focuses her energy on searching for a weak spot, but there is none.

She does not give up.

*

The third morning, they put chains on Thor. It is a chance to escape, but one of the guards puts a spear to the small of her back, and it gives her pause. She may be near invincible, but the child in her belly is not. Loki's child. The thought of him threatens to send her to her knees again, and she pushes it violently aside as she is led upwards to an open courtyard, to face Laufey.

He sits on the throne, but Thor cannot keep her focus on him. Instead she only sees Loki, pale and so small next to all the giants surrounding them. He doesn't look at her as she's brought out, struggling futilely against the chains.

Loki says, turning his head to Laufey, "I thought we were to spare the Asgardian prince."

"For defiling my youngest son? Death will be a mercy."

"But our plan -"

"We will acquire the Casket using some other means. You did say you knew the way into their weapons vault, did you not?"

"Yes."

"Then we do not need her alive." Loki's face darkens at that, and he leans in to whisper into Laufey's ear. Laufey nods his head, and Loki walks slowly down the stairs.

"May you rot in Hel with buzzards picking at your flesh for an eternity, traitor." Thor spits at his face. Loki calmly wipes it off as a guard drives an arm into Thor's back, forcing her to her knees. He raises his hand though, when another guard lifts his knee, and everyone moves a distance away, leaving them both in relative privacy.

"Stand," Loki says. Thor gets slowly onto her feet. "I am not a traitor, you idiot. I am loyal, have always been loyal, to the house of Laufey. Did you honestly think for a second that I cared for you? For Asgard? You are deluded and pitiful if so."

Thor lowers her gaze. She cannot bear to look at him a moment longer. "Aye, I am a fool, as you have said often. Get it over with, then. I would rather die than say another word to you."

"Shut up," Loki snaps, low. "You are not dying here today. Keep your head down, imbecile." His hand comes up to press down on the back of Thor's neck. From a distance it must look as if he is gloating.

Loki releases her, turns back towards the throne. "Father," he says. "Shall we entertain ourselves before the execution?" He glides back up towards the throne.

"We are not barbarians like the Aesir, Loki. Has your time with them infected your thoughts."

Thor lifts her head, watches Loki's face, watches the minute expressions flit across them. Irritation, anger. It is a great dishonor for a Jotun to be forced to marry an Aesir, to bear their child. Except that Thor can do no such thing. Laufey must know that. And so will the rest of Jotunheim soon enough, should she be allowed to live. So that is why. Does Loki know?

She doesn't have the time to ponder this, because Loki nods his head, subtly, and Thor immediately feels her connection to Mjolnir rekindled. She smiles.

*

The Valkyries sweep in as Thor is busy knocking two guards off their feet. Thor raises Mjolnir into the air as Sif flies towards her, grabs her and pulls her up behind her. Thor yells in her ear, "It took you long enough."

Sif grins at her. "We had to wait until Odin was certain we had been betrayed."

"Ah." The poison is still in her veins, and she has to put her hand on Sif's waist to steady herself. She says, "Do you have a collar with you?"

Sif waves at the bag saddled to the side of the pegasus.

"Swoop down," Thor says, and points.

"Are you mad?"

"I am not leaving without him." Sif shakes her head but takes the pegasus downwards. Loki is standing in the middle of the square, throwing bolts of green lightning at the Valkyries. Few of them hit their target. He does not notice Thor until it is too late, and Thor grabs him by the scruff of his neck, pulls him onto the horse. "Now I am ready to leave," she tells Sif.

"Aye, your highness," Sif says, dry.

Loki struggles in her arms, yells, "Let me go, you idiot. You are ruining everything." His eyes widen when Thor clicks the collar around his neck, and he struggles even further.

"They will think I kidnapped you," Thor says, nodding below.

"You have kidnapped me!"

Thor waits until they have flown some distance away before she produces the key, tugs on the collar until it falls away. Loki rubs gingerly at his throat. "Sorry," Thor says absently. "You are not - I need to think." He shifts until he is satisfied, presses his back against Thor's chest. Thor ventures to put her arms around him, and he says not a word. "Where are we going," Thor asks Sif.

"Kona Lifandi." She turns around to look at him briefly, rolls her eyes.

*

In Kona Lifandi they are given shelter and food. Suspicious glances are thrown Loki's way, but he ignores all of them. In their modest room, he paces. "See, what I do not understand is why Laufey would have you executed. You are worth far too much as a hostage."

Thor removes her armor, wraps herself under fur and yawns. "You betrayed me," she says.

Loki stops pacing briefly. "I told you. I am not a traitor. I am Jotunn."

"Not Asgard. Me."

At that, Loki seemingly has no response, but after a moment he falls to his knees. "These plans were set in motion far before you and I -" His face shutters. "You should have chosen Helblindi. Then I could still be king. Now that moron will ascend the throne, while I have to beg for scraps at the table. For all I have accomplished, what have I to show for it?"

Thor shrugs. "I agree. Helblindi would have been a wiser choice."

Sif calls out from outside, "May I come in?"

"Please," Thor says.

"I bring food," Sif says, holding up a tray. She glares at Loki. "I am certain they have not fed you well."

"I'm not hungry." Thor shrugs.

"You need to keep your strength. I shall put the food down, please eat." She crosses her arms and turns her glare back to Loki once again, who only sighs and retreats to the corner.

"Thank you, Sif," Thor says. "I will be fine."

"But I - ugh." She turns, and stomps off, frustration hovering around her like a cloud.

Loki tilts his head. "What did she mean, you need to keep your strength?"

"That your kind can hardly be trusted to treat your prisoners with civility?"

"No, but." Thor leaves him to figure it out on his own. It does not take long, from the exhalation of his breath. "Oh. Now this changes everything," he says. He sinks to his knees in front of Thor.

"It changes nothing."

"He would have had you executed." Loki's voice is the darkest that Thor has ever heard. "You, and my child. Heir to both our realms." His thumb rubs idly behind Thor's ear.

"Do not think for a moment after what you have done that I will lie with you," Thor says, with some conviction.

Loki merely licks his lips and shuffles closer.

Afterwards, he puts his head on Thor's belly, presses his lips to her skin. "Forget Laufey," he says. "He never wanted me to ascend the throne."

"I wouldn't," Thor replies drowsily. "You are too clever. I would choose someone dumb enough so I could retain power from behind the throne."

Loki kisses Thor's belly again. "But I can still be king. I will show him."

*

Loki's gone by dawn, and so is the Casket, taken from the Vault by a thief that somehow managed to bypass all their defenses, keep the Destroyer from awakening.

"It was me," Thor says, and has to fight to keep her face calm. "I showed him the way in. I let him -"

"What's done is done," Odin says. "Even I could not foresee his betrayal. I had hoped that - it does not matter. They are weak, still. Asgard defeated them once, she will do so again."

"I will make it up to you." She could kill a hundred Jotuns. She could kill a thousand. She would see his face in all of them.

"No, Thor, there is no place for you in this war."

"But Father -"

"You are with child. You are my only heir, and you are with child. The entirety of Asgard's future lies with you. There is no enemy of ours that does not want you dead, do you understand?"

"Then they should come for me, and it shall be the last thing they endeavor to do."

"Thor," Odin says, and his voice has gone soft, which is always more worrisome than when he turns hard with anger. There is no negotiating when he is like this: she can only capitulate. "I would have you swear an oath that you will not fight in this war."

Thor tries to fight it regardless, tries to explain to him that there is so much rage burning inside of her that she can barely contain it, so much grief she might die if forced to sit still and wait.

It is of no use.

He takes that oath, in the end, pries it from her lips as if he had reached down her throat and dragged the words out himself.

Mother says, "It is only because he wants to protect you, and our grandchild."

"I do not need protection," Thor says. "I need to wring his Jotun neck."

"Oh, Thor."

The next argument is to be had over where exactly Thor is to wring her hands uselessly while Odin leads their warriors into war. "You would put me in a place with defenseless women? What if an attempt is made on my life? Their lives would be at risk. I will stay in my chambers."

"Your chambers is not as nearly fortified. Just ask any man who has tried to visit his wife or children without permission."

On this Thor capitulates as well. She has no more energy to do otherwise.

*

There are only a few women awaiting to give birth, and a dozen children of different ages, all of whom stare at Thor from behind their mother's skirts with varying levels of awe.

"They have heard so many tales of your exploits," one of the women says, a faint smile on her face.

"They should know the truth," Thor says. "That I am a fool and have led us all to destruction."

Mother pulls Thor away, sits her down. "I know you are angry."

"No. You do not know how I feel."

"It will pass."

Thor puts her head in Frigga's lap, allows her to brush her hand across her hair. "It will not," she says, and knows it to be true.

She cannot bear to be around the women and even less the children, and so she isolates herself and is mostly left alone save for the nurses who hover fitfully around until she accepts their care. Not that they know what to do: Thor cannot recall any half-Jotun child being born in her lifetime, or even the one before.

"How do you feel," the primary nurse asks. She has been assigned specifically to Thor's care, having presided over Thor's birth herself, and possibly even Odin's, if the rumors over her age are true.

"Well," Thor says. "Hungry." She lies down on the table and allows herself to be examined, suffers patiently through the indignation.

"That is to be expected." But she looks worried.

"Frost Giants and Aesir have reproduced before, have they not?"

"Aye," she says. "They have. But not in a while - I have been here centuries and even then the births were only told in legend."

"Ask Odin if you are concerned," Thor says, sitting up and waving her away. "This union was his idea. I am well enough. Go away now."


	6. Six.

Laufey is dead.

Laufey is dead, and Odin marches back into Asgard.

Thor does not care, she storms out of her prison as soon as she hears, and makes her way to the Bifrost, to see him return.

"Then it is over?" Frigga says, rushing to help Odin before he falls. The guards get there soon enough, and she falls into step with Thor.

Odin only turns back once. "They have a new king," he says. "The war carries on."

He falls into Odinsleep, soon enough.

Thor is made queen: she sits on the throne with her swollen belly as their resources stretch thin to breaking, as battles are lost and bodies pile up.

The baby kicks furiously, all day and all night, and so Thor does not sleep.

A page brings dire news. Jotunheim has aligned itself with the Dark Elves. "They strike while our defenses are weakest," Frigga says, staring down at Odin's still form. "While your father sleeps."

"It is my fault," Thor says. "I told him Odin was nearing his time." She rises to her feet.

"Where are you going," Frigga asks, faintly alarmed.

*

"You do realize you are mad, do you not," Sif says, as they watch the Dwarves forge the armor. "Even if you do make it past the guards, he will surely kill you."

"Then so be it." She is tired. And she misses him, still. It matters not.

The Dwarf says, "It is done."

The hauberk is similar to the armor on her arms. It is loose when she drapes it over her body, but the magic binding it molds it tight, forming a protective shell over her chest, her belly.

"Princess," the Dwarf says. "Forgive me if I overstep my boundaries, but you are about to pop. I would recommend you take to bed, not battle."

"Queen," Sif says distractedly.

*

She lands in the middle of Jotunheim, the restless child inside her stilling for once as she looks around, readies Mjolnir. The air tastes different now, familiar. It is still too cold. She drops her head back, feels the snow melt against her face as they come.

Too many of them, but Thor has nothing to lose.

The battle is also familiar, and one she would normally relish, but she has no time for that. Instead she slams bodies out of the way as she strides towards the castle. A scythe swings at her head, she slides to a knee and brings Mjolnir around, hits her attacker right below his. Only a few steps more and she spots it, a doorway invisible to most, too small for any Frost Giant to enter. The perfect size for the king's youngest, the runt too curious for his own good. Thor only prays that it is not held closed by magic she cannot breach.

She has to run, the final hurdle, jumping over a reaching hand twice as big as she is, and tumbling over her heels until she lands on her back, right against the door, the wind knocked out of her. Surely this was easier, previously - possibly the Frost Giant she carries has something to do with it. She kicks out once, twice, and the door, mercifully, gives, allowing her to stumble inside, rapidly slam the door behind her. If she was quick enough, they might not have seen where she disappeared to.

Thor rests her head against the door, strains to listen, but can only hear their heavy stomping outside. When she is convinced they have missed her exit, she turns, holding up Mjolnir to help light her way.

It is not a passageway for a Jotun, and barely one for an Aesir heavy with child. Most likely it was designed as an air vent. Loki spoke fondly of his adventures exploring, but with the underlying melancholy of a young boy with little else to do, and no one willing or around to play with him.

Thor walks, and when she cannot walk she crawls. It is cold even here, and she shivers through most of it, her armor not protection enough against the bone deep chill. It is a relief when she finds herself at another door. Thor kicks this one as well, but it is not locked, and the momentum sends her stumbling, skidding to a halt right inside the throne room.

"Ah," Thor says, as sharp, icy blades surround her throat, attached to furious Jotuns.

At least she is in the right place.

"The last time I was here," Thor says, as she is shoved forward towards the stairs leading up to the throne, "I brought a prince to his knees."

"Did you?" Loki says. He is sprawled on the throne, barely looks at Thor as he speaks.

"The throne is too big for you. Perhaps you might consider a smaller one."

Loki sits up straight, says, "You really should not have come here, princess. But you were always stupid."

"Queen," Thor says. "I am queen now."

A form moves in the shadows. Thor tracks it as it glides nearer, as the guards holding her fade away. Malekith the Master of the Hounds, Malekith the Dark One, Malekith the Accursed. Thor rushes towards him, and finds herself on her knees, an invisible force tightening itself around her throat. Still she tries, but Mjolnir only falls from her numb fingers.

"So, this is the mighty Thor, then? Odin's precious daughter. I have to say, I was expecting to be more impressed."

Thor hopes the force of her glare is enough to convey exactly what she thinks of his impression of her. The noose around her neck tightens, and she can hear herself choking, a wretched, wet sound.

Loki walks slowly down the throne as she chokes, and he says, "Oh, do not kill her just yet, Malekith. I am not done gloating."

"Do you care for the spawn in her belly? I have heard it is yours. We can rip it out if you like. It might well survive."

"As if I want some half-breed Aesir dog with my blood running around." He reaches out, idly touches Thor's temple.

Thor glares at him as well, but it is becoming increasingly hard to focus on even that. Her bones feel liquid, her head light.

"Then I'll just kill her."

"I said not yet," Loki says, anger darkening his voice.

"Her head wins us Asgard. I am in no mood to play games."

Loki sighs and rolls his eyes. "Very well," he says.

*

Afterwards, as they are running from Malekith's forces, Thor shouts over her shoulder, "This was your plan?"

"My plan was to save Jotunheim. You have ruined everything."

"Malekith would have betrayed you."

Loki stops to throw a bolt of energy at a screeching Elf. "Would he? Of course I was not aware of that eventuality, I needed you to come bumbling in to inform me of it. I cannot believe my child will carry half of you."

Thor calls for Heimdall, screams his name and hopes that he is watching. Not a moment too soon - she yanks at Loki's collar as he launches himself forward, and feels the tingle of the Bifrost opening, sucking them through.

They land in a heap, Loki half on top of her. Heimdall shakes his head disapprovingly. "I take this to mean we are no longer at war with Jotunheim." Thor shrugs, and Heimdall gives a long suffering sigh.

"If it helps," Loki says, "the Dark Elves now want my head."

*

"Villain!" Fandral says, brandishing his sword. "Betrayer!"

"Not now, Fandral," Thor says.

"He has besmirched your honor. The Warriors Three do not condone such behavior."

"You may defend my honor later. For now, Malekith's forces approach. I assume Loki has a plan." She turns to Loki. "Tell me you have a plan."

"Um," Loki says. "About that. I was hoping you would just keep hitting them with that hammer of yours until they fall down."

"That is an excellent plan," Thor says.

"Am I the only one who's going to bring up that Thor is with child?" Fandral says. Everyone turns to stare at him. "Nevermind then."

*

Loki says, "I need to return to Jotunheim," as they attempt to defend themselves against the onslaught.

"Can we discuss this later," Thor says, throwing Mjolnir at an Elf scaling the wall. "Perhaps after we keep the Western wall from falling."

Loki stabs a soldier through his belly, kicks him to remove his sword. "No, I need to return to Jotunheim now. I am King - it's where I am needed. But I will return."

"Will you?" Thor stops, turns to him. "How do I know you will not betray me again?"

"I cannot -" He sighs, says, "Duck." Thor crouches down, and rises when Loki pulls her up. He shakes the blood from his sword, makes a face. "For the last time, I have never betrayed you."

"I am in no mood for your word games."

"And I saved your life, twice."

Thor draws herself up to her full height. "My life did not need your saving both times. What do I know of your plans -"

"My plans? You have done nothing but ruin them, with your stupid blundering ways and your ineptitude. If I had let you die, perhaps we could have avoided this mess altogether. But no, instead we have to go to war with Svartalfheim, all because I cannot bear to see your idiot head separated from your body."

"Yes, well I - wait, what did you say?"

"I said I hate you and I regret that we were ever married."

"See, that is what I thought you said." Thor returns her attention back to the approaching army, bares her teeth. "You may return to Jotunheim, husband of mine. I will keep our bed warm for you."

A hand brushes across the back of her head, but when she turns Loki is already gone. Thor swings Mjlonir, yells, "For Asgard!" and marches into the fray.

*

They manage to hold the wall, drive Malekith's forces back, at least for a while. Thor returns to her chambers at Sif's insistence, when she is struck in her belly and driven to her knees. "I am fine," Thor says, but is grateful to have a seat.

Sif puts her hand to Thor's stomach, says, "Should I call for a midwife?"

"No, I am fine. She is fine as well."

"She?"

"So I have been told. But they might have just said so as not to not seem ignorant. There's a lot of confusion over this child."

"She will be a proud warrior, like her mother."

Thor leans back in the chair, tilts her head up at the ceiling. "Or perhaps she will just be a princess, and never have to do battle."

"Who are you, and what have you done to Thor?" Sif puts her hand to Thor's forehead. "Are you ill? Is that it?"

"I am just tired," Thor says. "I wish for peace, and I wish for her to be healthy, and loved. That is all." It is a wish without much hope: her daughter will be queen one day, and will be raised as such, to be ready for all the burden of responsibility.

Sif squeezes her shoulder, and smiles. Her smile fades away somewhat when she says, "Do you think it was wise to allow Loki to return to Jotunheim?"

"I could hardly have held him prisoner here - he promises that the Jotuns will march with us, against Malekith."

"And you believe him?"

"I do. History will remember me as a queen that served her people well, or one that was led by her foolish, trusting heart. We will find out soon enough. But I cannot afford to doubt myself, not now." Thor closes her eyes, finds herself smiling for what seems like the first time in weeks.

When she opens them again, Sif is gone.

*

Loki returns as Thor is poring over a map, discussing battle strategy with her generals.

"How did - did Heimdall open the Bifrost for you?"

"No," Loki says. "Remind me we need to have a conversation about the weaknesses in your defenses."

Thor nods her head, and everyone disperses. Loki wades into the holograph, tilts his head left and right. "Sound enough plan," he says. "But you do not have enough men."

"Not Asgardians, no. But I was told I would have Giants marching with me."

"Were you? Which fool told you that?"

"Some Jotun runt. You would not have heard of him."

Loki sighs, a sigh of great disappointment. "Truly a fool then."

"Loki."

"You will have your soldiers, Thor." He holds up his hand as Thor surges forward. "But you should not trust me. You think that I am like you, that I do what I do because I must, because I care, but that's not true."

Thor halts in front of him, and the hologram shimmers around them both. She touches Loki on the cheek, says, "I know who you are. Bring me my army, and then you may have everything you desire."

Loki turns his face into her palm, kisses it.

*

"Does Odin still sleep," Loki asks, the night before they march on Svartalfheim. He has returned to Thor's chambers, snuck in like a thief as if he is still not welcome. Thor doesn't understand it, but it's his way.

"Aye," she says.

Loki puts his hand on her belly, and she shakes her head. "She is only silent when you are here."

"She will kick for me."

She does not.

Loki laughs, and lays his head against it.

"I am sorry," Thor says, "About Laufey."

"I am not. He would have brought Jotunheim down into perpetual darkness, and for what? Revenge against Odin, against Asgard? For all that I did, we still would not have won this war, not yet. We needed time. But he wouldn't listen to me. He never listened to me. Even Malekith only ensured our victory until he turned on us, and we would have had another war we could ill afford on our hands."

Thor cradles his head in her hands. Strange, how she once found the shade of his skin so ugly. "He was still your father."

"My father. Let me tell you about my father. My father left me to die in a temple, because I was too small to live, and even when I survived, even when I clung to life for over a week and refused to stop wailing, he only suggested that I be fed to the wolves instead." There is a dark, violent grief in his voice that she cannot bear.

"Loki," Thor begins.

"My brothers told me this, and we were always cruel to one another, but no one denied it when I asked. Laufey just laughed and told me that perhaps I would be of some use one day, and prove him wrong. You think I mourn his death, Asgardian?"

And Thor, who has never not felt loved, can find nothing to say.

*

She refuses to stay out of the battle, still. "But I am needed," she says.

Mother turns to the midwife. "When?"

"Any day now," the midwife says, wringing her hands together. "Yesterday."

"Loki, she is your wife, talk some sense into her." Mother's gaze is fierce, and Loki wilts under it.

Thor snaps, "Loki. You are my spouse, you cannot take her side over mine."

"Um," Loki says, and sidles away, towards Sif. "I feel I will stay out of this, if you two don't mind."

"Wise choice," Sif says.

Thor wins, but barely. As they ride out of Asgard she ignores the cramp in her belly, the painful spasm. It will go away. It has happened before, and it has always gone away. "Just wait a few days, baby," she mutters under her breath. Her daughter responds with a violent kick.

They battle for days, with no sign of the Frost Giants. It is not expected that they arrive so soon, the part of the strategy that's Loki's, not Thor's. She pushes aside the twinge of worry, concentrates on the day at hand. And on not falling to the ground in pain.

"Thor," Sif says at one point, her hand coming to rest on Thor's arm. "Your thighs are wet."

Thor stares down at herself. "So it appears. Loki. Get Loki to me, now."

She allows herself to be led into a cave, laid out on a warm blanket, with Sif barking out orders to the somewhat confused warriors around. Volstagg says, "I can hold her hand if need be. I have held Hildegund's through the births of many of our children."

"Hildegund says you faint at the sight of her blood."

Volstagg lowers his voice. "Do not besmirch my good name, woman."

"Fine," Sif says. "Then stay."

"I feel I am needed more in the field," Volstagg says, and disappears.

Thor raises herself up onto her elbows. "I do not need him," she says. "I need my idiot husband."

"We have sent word. He is on his way, I'm certain." She kneels at Thor's side, brushes sweaty strands of hair away from her face."I do like your long hair," she says.

"Where is he?"

"You are always so impatient," Loki says. "Some of us do have other things to do. Like lead an army into battle." His face appears in front of Thor, eyes glowing faintly red in the dim light. "Excellent timing as usual."

"Shut up and hold my hand, Jotun. Pretend you are here to support me as I give birth to our child."

Loki sighs, but when Thor waves her fingers at him he takes her hand in both of his, squeezes. "Childbirth is sacred," he says. "There should be priests, and the parent not giving birth to the child is not allowed to attend until it is over."

"That's too bad," Thor says, and pushes, and feels movement as she does so. "For she is coming right now, and cares little for what you think. Obviously she takes more after me than you."

It does not hurt that much, in the end. Thor pushes a few more times, to Sif's encouraging words. And then it is over, and she is falling back onto the blanket as a baby's wail cuts the air. Thor closes her eyes for the briefest, most merciful of seconds, and when she opens them again Loki is holding on to a tiny, blanket-swaddled form. Thor struggles to sit up, and Loki puts her daughter in her arms. She is beautiful, her hair a shock of blonde and her skin the palest shade of blue. "Hello," Thor says.

A soldier rushes into the cave. He stops when he sees Thor, eyes wide. But then he says, in a rush, "My liege, Malekith, he -" He turns his gaze to Sif, and then to Loki beseechingly. "What do I do?"

"What you do is you get Volstagg," Thor says, and extends her arm for Loki to help her to her feet. "Bring him to me, and then we will discuss this urgent matter of yours."

Volstagg arrives in not two minutes, right as Sif exits the cave to return to where she's needed.

"Well would you look at her," Volstagg says, as Thor hands him the bundle. "Aren't you the prettiest child in the land. Yes, you are. You are."

"I need you to bring her with you to Asgard, now. Keep her safe."

Volstagg nods his head, but says, "And what of you? Should you not be with her?"

Thor leans against Loki, but only briefly. "I am needed here. And I trust you. Besides, if I go back Mother will never let me leave. I do not trust that woman, she will find a way to keep me confined somehow."

"I will guard her with my life," Volstagg says. "It will be the greatest honor ever bestowed upon me."

"Are you ready," Thor asks Loki, when Volstagg is gone.

"We are. They march as we speak."

"Good." Thor picks up Mjolnir, but as she heads out Loki stops her, pulls her to him.

"We have a child," he says, and he sounds dazed. "We have to name her."

Thor launches herself at him, kisses him hard. "I grow tired of this war. Let us end this, and then I shall have your cock inside me. It has been far too long."

"You have just given birth." Loki makes a face.

"I did not mean right now," Thor says. "In time. I will not be denied because Laufey filled your head with nonsense. You best be ready, Jotun."

Loki smiles, and this time he is the one that kisses her.

*

They breach the castle at dawn, Thor marching in with Loki at her side.

"It is over," Thor says, as Loki holds a sword to Malekith's neck, forces him to his knees. "Surrender."

Malekith laughs, and keeps on laughing. "The two of you," he says. "What a joke this is."

"I suppose if you find defeat funny, then yes."

"He will only betray you in the end," Malekith says, turning his mad gaze upon her. "Know this."

"Perhaps," Thor says. "But not today."


	7. Five years later.

"Are you certain you have enough warm clothes for Magni?"

"You ask me this every time we leave for longer than a day, Mother. She is still part Jotun, that will not change tomorrow."

"I cannot wait until your daughter is old enough to talk back at you in this manner."

"It's already happening," Thor says miserably.

The governess carries Magni over and passes her to Thor. Thor kisses her cheek, smiles at her excited baby chatter. "We go to see Father?"

"Yes, we are going to see Father. Your mother has been very lonely without him."

Frigga rolls her eyes. "Do try to wait a reasonable amount of time before having another child, dear."

Heimdall snorts.

Thor ignores him, leans over to hug Frigga. "Tell Father I will hunt for those ice water crabs he can't seem to stop talking about. I will miss you all."

Loki waits for her, in Jotunheim.

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the Songs: Ohia song of the same name. Swirly letters nabbed from [here](http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.de/2009/07/ornamental-typography-revisited.html).

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[ART] Cover cm's 'lightning risked it all'](https://archiveofourown.org/works/771350) by [Ilthit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilthit/pseuds/Ilthit)




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